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Computer man Paul glad to be back in Silverhill

Silverhill Computers Paul Ashton

Silverhill Computers Paul Ashton

In October 2004, after spending over 15 years working as a university researcher at Liverpool and Greenwich universities, Paul Ashton decided to go back to his earlier calling as a retailer and opened Silverhill Computers selling refurbished computers at 373 London Road, Silverhill. Not only was it a return to retailing, but it was a return to his roots.
Born in Bexhill and brought up in St Leonards, Paul set up his Silverhill shop just 3 doors away from the house he had bought in 1980 for himself, his wife and their four teenage children. “Even the postcode at the shop is the same as my former home!” said ex-Grove School Paul.
Paul’s early experience of retailing was when he had his own Village Stores in Chigwell, Essex. It was while he was there that he enrolled with the Open University as a part-time student. Six years later, after also graduating from the University of East London, Paul was offered a 3-month research post at Liverpool University’s economics department working with the controversial monetarist, Professor Patrick Minford. “I was there for 8 years!” said Paul. During that time Paul had several articles published and co-authored a couple of books. “One still brings in royalties – I get a cheque around Christmas for about £25”, he chuckles.
While working at Liverpool University, bought a newsagents in the Toxteth area of Liverpool, persuading his former wife to leave Hastings and their adult children to take care of the day-to-day running of the shop.
Paul also turned his hand to publishing. Together with his daughter Julie he published the Rhodes Gazette, a monthly free paper for English-speaking tourists on the Greek Island. “It lasted a relatively short time but it was a fantastic environment to work in”, reminisced Paul. “Even so, it’s great to be back now where I was brought up. Nostalgia kicks in when I pass the places where I  used to live, the schools I attended, the places I worked at, the church I got married in and even the bookshop in Bohemia Road that I frequented as a teenager.”  Now entering a fifth year at his shop, Paul has built up a reputation as a supplier of inexpensive reliable refurbished computer systems. “I get quite a bit of repeat business from previous customers who want to upgrade to faster or more technically advanced machines, and also from past customers who want an additional machine or two for their spouse or children” he said, adding “What with prices for second-user computers going in the opposite direction to most other goods these days, there are lots of good buys available now”.

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