SUPERMARKETS come and go but Jim ‘Wee Jimmy’ McLaughlin has been a more permanent fixture in Hamilton Street in Saltcoats.

Jimmy has been rounding up the trolleys at what is now Sainsbury’s for an incredible FORTY years – just two years less than the building itself has stood there.

Starting as a school-leaver aged 17 with what was then Templeton’s, Jimmy has survived five changes of ownership of the store through Presto, Safeway, Morrison’s and Somerfield before Sainsbury’s took over the site in 2008.

Jimmy said: “I love my job. I like keeping the trolleys in order and helping people and talking to them.” Deputy store manager Patrick McCann confirmed that Jimmy is very helpful with the customers.

He said: “Jim is very popular with the customers, especially the more elderly ones, some of who may have been coming to the store as long as he’s been working here.

"He is very helpful and always happy to spend time assisting them.”