A caf owner retired yesterday after 30 years working in the North-East.

Toni Pala, 62, worked at Betty's teashop in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, when he arrived in England from Sardinia, Italy.

He moved to Darlington in 1974, and ran the Sardis restaurant, in Northgate, before establishing the Imperial Express, in Northumberland Street, in 1990.

He is a partner in the caf with Tony Bowie, and has helped to build the business into a thriving concern.

Mr Pala said: " The key success of this place has been the flexibility, and the great support of my wife, Catherine."

He also paid tribute to the Imperial Express chefs, Richard Ferguson and Mark Thomas, whose work will be supplemented by the arrival of manager James Butterfield, a former lecturer at Darlington College of Technology's school of catering.

Mr Pala is looking forward to spending more time with his three grandchildren, Sam, Dan and Nina.