‘We need to survive’: Stevenage’s small business owners reveal Brexit fears

From the greengrocer's to the local gift shop, residents brace for the prospect of crashing out of the EU without a deal

"You see the melons over there?" said Ali Ahmed, pointing across his extensive display of fruit and vegetables at his greengrocer's in Stevenage town centre. "They come from Spain. Most of the apples come from Poland. The tomatoes are from Holland."

Ahmed, who has been running Star Groceries for about five years, gets most of his fresh produce from New Spitalfields market. "We've spoken to the wholesaler and [if there is a no-deal Brexit] they say it's going to be very, very, very hard. But we have no idea what's going to happen. I don't know what I can do. You can't stock up on fresh fruit and veg, so I'm just hoping they get a deal.