SOME would consider it a brave step to open a new shop during the economic downturn.

But bravery comes as second nature to a group of retired Gurkha veterans – soldiers who hail from Nepal and who have served the British Crown for 200 years.

Captain Pancha Rai, who fought in the Falklands War in 1982 with the Seventh Gurkha Riffles, which later became part of the Second Royal Gurkha Riffles, is one of seven partners to open the Gurkha Grocery Shop in Winton Square.

Having served in areas as diverse and distant as Northern Ireland, Hong Kong, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, Bosnia and Sierra Leone, Capt Rai and his colleagues are optimistic about their latest assignment which opened two months ago.

Noting that there are more than 300 Nepalese people, including former Gurkhas, living in the Basingstoke area, Capt Rai said: “Nepal is a multi-cultured society and many tribes inhabitant the country – we have our own way of life and obviously, dietary needs differ.

“The initial thoughts were to open a shop, merely for the Nepalese community. But after 14 months of collective and cautious market research, we decided to open a convenient Grocery Shop for the diverse people of Basingstoke.

“The aim of the Gurkha Grocery Shop is to provide daily essential groceries and authentic spices from Nepal and other parts of Asia, not only for the Gurkha and Nepalese community of Basingstoke, but the general public too.”

Delighted with the shop’s location, Capt Rai said: “Basingstoke is fantastic – it’s a nice place, with nice people, and it’s close to London”.

Another shop that aims to particularly serve the Nepalese, Asian and Muslim community is the New Cash & Carry, in London Street.

Ramji Tiwari who arrived in the UK in August, under a high-skills migration programme has teamed up with three other Nepalese partners to open the shop.

The former Nepal Government public health professional said he was keen to try his hand in business and chose Basingstoke because he felt there are opportunities here.

He said: “There are plenty of Nepalese people here and they need this sort of shop, and British people do too.

“Many people living nearby have said ‘thank you’ for staying open so late as our hours are from 8am to 9pm.

“We sell goods from Nepal such as beans, beaten rice, noodles and spices and sell halal meat, which we now have prepared by a butcher from the Muslim community.”