DOUBTLESS one of the most trusting shopkeepers in the area if not the country is making a return, albeit sporadically as he’ll be commuting from France.

Tom Algie is best known as the former owner of Settle shop, Practically Everything, who on Boxing Day2008, rigged up an honesty box with some tubing and a funnel and attached a note claiming he’d given staff the day off, including himself, and that customers should choose the items they want and place the right money inside the box.

Amazingly, Tom’s trust in people was not unfounded and customers did indeed post the correct money in the box - including former Herald editor Peter Greenwood who bought a set of step ladders.

For the past decade or so, Tom and his wife, Ann, have been living off-grid in France, occasionally holidaying in Settle. One a recent visit he noticed a shop vacancy n town and the urge to have another shop was too much. He took on the premises which is situated just off the Market Place and opposite the Talbot pub.

Among the items for sale will be knitted soft toys made by a talented Ukrainian woman who has settled in the district.

Tom said he and Ann will not be returning to live in Settle but the business will be run by her brother, Richard, and friend Andrea West.

“I will be covering all their holidays. I imagine it will be fun to be back in Settle for some of the time,” said Tom.

Tom and Ann have been creating a simple life in France from scratch, with Ann even setting up YouTube channel ‘Simpler Living’ to extol the many virtues of their peaceful, alternative, off-grid, no-fridge lifestyle with their solar powered bikes and electric car.

For some, the autumn of 2022 is not a good time to be setting up shop but Tom is ever the optimist. Tom trusted the good people of Settle to come up with a new name for the new card and gift shop and they didn’t disappoint him. Uplifting reflects the fact that Tom and Ann have introduced FairTrade gifts into the range of items for sale and that Settle is such an uplifting place.

The competition was for a cartoon which Mick Harrison won. It shows the couple on a Vespa and for a bit of fun Tom and Ann recreated the image in real life in a garage in France; and got some strange looks into the bargain.

The only change they made was the name Mick had come up with which was Cadeaux. Tom said he and Ann loved the name but though that it was maybe a bit too French for Settle and eventually decided on Uplifting.

As an extra boost to encourage people to enter the contest they offered a special five-card deal and 10 per cent off all gifts for those who put forward entries.

When the couple come for a their next busman’s holiday Ann will be able to see her two young grandchildren, Freddie and Max while Tom gets behind the counter.