Bhav Patel

Nominated by Gemma Hirst & Mary Gower

To the people who live around Southover Street in Brighton, shopkeeper Bhav Patel is one of the community’s biggest treasures.

Always a friendly and cheerful presence, he is known for distributing free packed lunches to children in need. And since the pandemic began, Bhav has gone the extra mile to support locals. This includes organising food parcels for the elderly and vulnerable, giving away clothes and even lending his shop heater to a customer whose boiler had broken.

It’s not surprising that many people see Bhav as the heart and soul of their community. He has been described as a man who would give you the shirt off his back — and do it with a massive smile to boot. What’s more, Bhav never expects thanks or recognition, he just loves to help others.

It’s safe to say that in these challenging times, Brighton has been made a brighter place because of Bhav. Maybe that’s why his customers know him as simply ‘the best shopkeeper in the world’.