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| Two Ronnies 'Four Candles' sketch recreated in 280-year-old shop | Two Ronnies 'Four Candles' sketch recreated in 280-year-old shop |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A classic Two Ronnies sketch has been recreated by residents of a town who wanted to "shine a light" on a 280-year-old shop. | A classic Two Ronnies sketch has been recreated by residents of a town who wanted to "shine a light" on a 280-year-old shop. |
| Odell & Co has been trading in the same spot on Stony Stratford High Street in Milton Keynes since 1740. | Odell & Co has been trading in the same spot on Stony Stratford High Street in Milton Keynes since 1740. |
| Vicky Holton, who has lived in the town all her life, said the hardware shop had "always reminded" her of the "Four Candles" sketch. | Vicky Holton, who has lived in the town all her life, said the hardware shop had "always reminded" her of the "Four Candles" sketch. |
| Co-owner David Odell said the sketch was mentioned by customers every week. | Co-owner David Odell said the sketch was mentioned by customers every week. |
| "I was taken aback by the video because I knew the original Two Ronnies sketch and it's often mentioned in the shop," he said, | "I was taken aback by the video because I knew the original Two Ronnies sketch and it's often mentioned in the shop," he said, |
| "Never a Saturday goes by without a couple of people mentioning fork handles." | "Never a Saturday goes by without a couple of people mentioning fork handles." |
| Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker's BBC sketch show The Two Ronnies was one of the most successful of the 1970s and '80s. | Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker's BBC sketch show The Two Ronnies was one of the most successful of the 1970s and '80s. |
| It ran from 1971 to 1987 and the "Four Candles" episode was first aired in September 1976. | It ran from 1971 to 1987 and the "Four Candles" episode was first aired in September 1976. |
| Miss Holton was behind recreating the iconic sketch in the hardware shop and enlisted the help of a local videographer and actors from the Milton Keynes amateur dramatics scene - with Sean Calvert and Dave Pibworth playing the roles filled by Corbett and Barker in the original version. Miss Holton herself makes a brief appearance, as does Mr Odell. | Miss Holton was behind recreating the iconic sketch in the hardware shop and enlisted the help of a local videographer and actors from the Milton Keynes amateur dramatics scene - with Sean Calvert and Dave Pibworth playing the roles filled by Corbett and Barker in the original version. Miss Holton herself makes a brief appearance, as does Mr Odell. |
| She said she hoped the video would "shine a light on a marvellous shop, especially as High Streets are at risk in all towns". | She said she hoped the video would "shine a light on a marvellous shop, especially as High Streets are at risk in all towns". |
| "A similar hardware shop a few miles away closed down a few years ago and it was so sad," Miss Holton said. | "A similar hardware shop a few miles away closed down a few years ago and it was so sad," Miss Holton said. |
| "Odell's has been around since 1740 and it's a real community hub. They've got a really good ethos, fantastic service and always sell tickets to local events in the shop." | "Odell's has been around since 1740 and it's a real community hub. They've got a really good ethos, fantastic service and always sell tickets to local events in the shop." |
| Mr Odell, who owns the shop alongside his brother Richard, said his great grandfather bought the business in 1863 but it had been trading in the same building since 1740. | Mr Odell, who owns the shop alongside his brother Richard, said his great grandfather bought the business in 1863 but it had been trading in the same building since 1740. |
| "We are a very old established business," he said. | "We are a very old established business," he said. |
| "For it to have been in the family since 1863 is quite a major feat." | "For it to have been in the family since 1863 is quite a major feat." |
| The 66-year-old said he believed the business had lasted the test of time as it "changed with all the changes that were thrown at it". | |
| "During the Victorian period after my great grandfather bought the business we had the industrial revolution and things were becoming much more mechanised and manufacturing changed," he said. | "During the Victorian period after my great grandfather bought the business we had the industrial revolution and things were becoming much more mechanised and manufacturing changed," he said. |
| "We adapted to gas coming into the town, electricity coming into the town, the addition of the motorcar and we're still here striving to make a living and keep the local people of Stony Stratford happy and buying what they need." | "We adapted to gas coming into the town, electricity coming into the town, the addition of the motorcar and we're still here striving to make a living and keep the local people of Stony Stratford happy and buying what they need." |
| Mr Odell said the introduction of the internet had made things "much more difficult" for business, but he insisted: "One has to be positive about the future." | Mr Odell said the introduction of the internet had made things "much more difficult" for business, but he insisted: "One has to be positive about the future." |
| Despite the convenience of shopping online the store attracts new customers regularly. | Despite the convenience of shopping online the store attracts new customers regularly. |
| One customer who recently visited the 240-year-old shop for the first time is Bram Davies, who has moved into a property which was occupied by its previous owners for 40 years. | One customer who recently visited the 240-year-old shop for the first time is Bram Davies, who has moved into a property which was occupied by its previous owners for 40 years. |
| "I was clearing out the house and found items from decades ago with Odell written on them so I had to come in," Mr Davies said. | "I was clearing out the house and found items from decades ago with Odell written on them so I had to come in," Mr Davies said. |