A COMMUNITY is mourning the passing of a beloved shopkeeper who served his area for over 40 years.

Feroz Ahmed, known to his customers as Peter, died aged 82.

His granddaughter, Aamna Ahmed said he was not only a "pillar of our family; he was the pillar of an entire community". 

Asian Image:

Before settling on Duke Street, where his convenience shop and hardware store, Peter's, still stand, he had a variety of jobs, including working for the Glasgow Subway and running a laundrette in the Gorbals. 

READ MORE: Wyndford Locks Care Home worker dad-of-two dies after coronavirus battle

Aamna said she was touched by an outpouring of tributes for her late grandfather on social media. 

She has learned a lot about Peter since announcing his death and said his impact on the Dennistoun community he served for over four decades was "unreal".

"He was a giver and he helped the community a lot but I think just knowing the impact he had was unreal.

She said that "knowing that he brought a smile to people's faces and how well remembered he is in so many walks of life," was the most treasured thing she had discovered about Peter since his death.

Aamna was touched by one woman's memory of Peter helping her father raise money through his marathon runs.

The woman told Aamna: "My dad was a marathon runner and would always choose different charities to fundraise for and Peter was always so kind and encouraging. He would sponsor him and would always encourage his customers to sponsor him, too." 

She added that the full extent of his charity work could not be known because of his humility.

"Just knowing that he was loved, not only by his own community but people right across the board. 

"One of the comments that meant the most to me was someone saying: 'They don't make them like him anymore'."

READ MORE: Home carers for vulnerable woman blast lack of PPE

Peter moved to Scotland from his birthplace of Multan, Pakistan in the 1950s. 

He worked as a travelling salesman and then a trainmaster on the Subway. Once he had saved enough money, he opened his first cornershop in Ibrox in the 1960s. 

Asian Image:

Peter, far right, pictured in front of his Gorbals laundrette c.1960

He opened a factory in Shawlands in the 1970s, around which time he moved to Dennistoun, opening up his shop on Duke Street. 

Aamna said: "Although he has had various business projects, his heart was always in the East End of Glasgow.

"Peter's shop on Duke Street was where his heart and soul was."

She said his Dennistoun customers gave him the name Peter and that it stuck for the rest of his life.

READ MORE: Meet Glasgow's Keyworkers - Our heroes include ICU nurse, carer and private hire driver

She added: "He was at the forefront of fighting for the underdog and standing up for people's rights and against fascism."

Aamna announced Peter's death on social media and was inundated with nearly 300 comments paying tribute to her grandfather.

He was buried yesterday in the city after a funeral at Glasgow Central Mosque, around the corner from where he had opened a laundrette over 50 years ago.

Peter is survived by his wife Rose, sons Billy and Tariq and two daughters, Rashida and Naheeda.