A LLANGADOG family are set to celebrate 80 years in business with a party next week to mark the milestone.

Morgan Newsagents and Post Office, run by Richard Morgan and his wife, Win, is based in the heart of the community village.

Richard’s family used to be tailors until Burtons arrived in the 1950s, so the family made the decision to convert the premises – which first opened in 1934 as E O Morgan Tailors – into a newsagent.

The Church Street store was handed over to Richard and his wife Win in 1974. They took over the running of their business while bringing up their three children – Dafydd, Angharad and Catrin.

Over the next 25 years Richard and Win extended the premises by giving it a new look and adding an internet cafe.

But it was in 2001 that the shop branched into the Post Office business, after the existing Post Office in the village was threatened with closure.

Win Morgan said: “The community needed a Post Office and we were not prepared to lose it. So we made the decision to move it into the shop.”

Over the last nine years, Morgan Newsagents and Post Office has received more than ten awards for their service to the community, including the Best Regional Post Office award, Countryside Alliance Village Shop award and National Federation of Retail Newsagents Independent Community retailer of the year.

“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved over the years,” said Win.

Now in their 40th year of running Morgan Newsagents and Post Office, Richard and Win have handed the reins over to their son Dafydd and his wife Ginny Morgan, who are proud to be taking over the family business.

“After 12 years in the marines it was time to move on and it seemed like a natural progression to take over the store,” said 34-year-old Dafydd.

“We have two young children, and I couldn’t think of a better place to bring them up.

“Llangadog is a fantastic community to live and work.”

The Morgans are now set to celebrate their milestone with a party at the store on Thursday, October 9, from 2pm.

There will also be a visit from MP Jonathan Edwards and Dyfed’s High Sheriff, Elinor Jones.

“This party is a way of thanking the community for their support over the years,” said Richard Morgan.

“My father started a legacy that Dafydd and his family will take into hopefully the next 40 or so years, and maybe even his children after that.”

Carmarthenshire county councillor Andrew James has commended the family on their sterling work over the years.

“I’m extremely proud to be part of a village that is privileged to have a family such as the Morgans, who are doing fantastic work.

“The fact that they are still going strong after so many years is a credit to them,” said Councillor James.