The story goes on to say further growth meant they had already expanded to full capacity on Histon Road. So Albert purchased additional premises on Tennis Court Road.
It had previously been the Trentbridge Paint Company warehouse. In 1984 Albert paid £34,000 for the site.
Albert's vision for the future of the business came true in 1987 when after leaving university, his son Francis joined him so it could truly hold the title of Mitten & Son.
Albert is quoted as saying Francis didn't get any preferential treatment. He started at the bottom, as an errand boy to the workshop mechanics.
The next page features a photo of Francis’s wedding to Diane Hammond in 1991 with the happy couple standing outside the front of the church.
The following year, their son Gordon was born and named after Diane's father.
Eight years later Diane found out she was unexpectedly pregnant and gave birth to identical twins in February 2001.
Further down the page, the article shows a photo of the three children who make up the latest generation of the family taken when Gordon was twenty-five and the twins age sixteen.
On the next page there are two photos showing the premises in Tennis Court Road during its heyday with cars coming and going.
The feature talks about how Mitten & Son enjoyed fifteen years of further growth until, in 1999, the council installed parking meters outside the Histon Road showroom. The effect was the first downturn in the history of the business.
The feature carries on with an interview and Albert Mitten saying when he turned sixty in 2002 he made the decision to retire and hand the business on to Francis.
The final section talks about how Albert and Francis began the search for new premises where the car showroom and the repair shop could be combined into the same location and parking restrictions wouldn't be a problem.
Albert is quoted as saying, "It took nearly a year before we found a two-acre site which had come up for sale in the village of Barford and less than a mile from the M6 motorway.”
He went on to recall, "In the end, the idea came from Diane, my son's wife. She noticed the site was for sale and persuaded us it would be the best place. She was right. Once we started to look into it we realised it gave us the opportunity to build a custom-purpose facility from the ground up and expand in new directions."
Then Francis is quoted as saying, "We always wanted the business to not only become part of the village but also to be a real boost to the community. After all, this is the village where I and my family live. By including a post office and convenience store as well as a vehicle workshop, tyre depot, used car showroom and petrol station, I think we've helped improve the quality of life for all the residents."
"To help other start-up businesses, we rent out a number of small units at the rear of the site. We currently have a carpet store, mobility centre, a sign-writer, a pet shop and a business that erects signs for estate agents. Just like Mitten & Son, these are family-run businesses."
On the final page of the feature is a group photo of the twenty-six members of Mitten staff plus the family bunched together and waving to the camera.
Chapter Five
Francis Mitten's greatest wish was for his son to follow him into the family business.
He would be the third generation and when the time was right Francis could step back and let him take over the empire the family had built.
But Gordon had other ideas.
He is the son of the owner. He doesn't see why he needs to begin his career sweeping floors and doing the menial tasks for the workers. Even if it is the way his father started.
He is far better than the people who are wage slaves and he deserves to be treated with respect.
When he started in the workshop, he fell for their jokes. "Go to the stores and ask for a tin of elbow grease." Or "Grab me the glass hammer from the toolbox." Very funny. Not!
One afternoon it became too much and words got heated.
"Gordon, listen to me. There are people who've worked for the company for over twenty years. They have the experience and the knowledge you don't. Just because you're the son of the managing director doesn't mean you can treat them like dirt. These people put a lot of effort into the business. They work bloody hard and I'm not having you undermine them. Do you hear me?"
"Well, if that's the case, I quit. I'm out of here."
Two hours later, Francis received a frantic phone call from his wife.
"Francis, what did you say to Gordon? He's packing his things. He says he's moving out. Get back here and talk to him."
"Calm down, Diane. He overstepped the mark and tried to tell Bill Peters his job. I'm not having that. Don't worry. Gordon will probably go off for a couple of days, stay with a mate until they get fed up with him and come home."
"What if he doesn't?"
"He will. Believe me."
"If Dad can't trust me there’s little point in me being here, is there? Erica and Leona have no interest in the business. Their hearts are set on becoming online celebrities."
"Where will you go?" his mother asked.
"I can stay with friends until I find something."
All he needed to do is think of an idea to make some money.
And the sooner, the better.
Chapter Six
The large number of letters sent to the newspaper editor proves the majority of readers enjoy reading these trips down memory lane.
Nostalgia features, like the article about Mitten & Son, always get a good response, especially when they include photographs from a bygone age.
However, for one reader the article has opened up old wounds.
Chris Linwood reads the entire feature and grows angrier with every word. The
