TONY Ray's cheerful personality is in keeping with his "thoroughly enjoyable" former life as an independent baker and his just as rewarding new life in retirement.

But it also masks some sadness in the 63-year-old president of the Worcestershire Master Bakers Association.

He worries about the future of traditional businesses of his kind and also of the association of which he has been Midlands regional president twice previously.

A national meeting in Harrogate later this year, he anticipates, will dismantle local branches because of falling membership and oversee the contraction of the organisation into a regional network instead.

Mr Ray of St John's Avenue, Kidderminster, is one of only four independent bakers left in town compared with 10 when he took over the family business as a young man.

He cannot understand why people buy their bread from supermarkets, except that it is cheap.

He said: "The supermarket sliced loaf is baked for 28 minutes. I bake my loaves for one-and-a-quarter hours!"

Mr Ray whose grandfather and father ran the family bakery before him says he is first a "craftsman" and second a businessman. With a college cookery qualification, he cooked his time through National Service in the RAF, was a hotel chef in Kidderminster's old Black Horse Inn and was attending the ovens until his last day at the bakery. He believes in good flour and good fermentation. His son Stephen, 35, took over Tony's Bakery in Peel Street 18 months ago and Mr Ray is of the view: "I should leave him to get on with it."

At least he now has time to cook at home much to the delight of his wife Sandra.

Now a grandfather, he still retains a missionary zeal for the continuing fight by independent bakers, butchers, greengrocers and fishmongers to promote public awareness.

Mr Ray ran his own leaflet campaign: "We told people if they want to keep us they must support us. We are fighting back but against tough odds because of supermarket price discounts."

The future is bright otherwise. The change from a lifetime getting up before the crack of dawn and working till nightfall with little more than the "factory fortnight" holiday has added spice to the lives of a couple who have always had a yen for travel.

Just back from a fortnight in Spain in their motor-caravan, they plan their first visit to Scotland soon. Other excursions with friends in the "St John's Avenue caravan club" are also fixed.

Mr Ray's parting words are always the same: "Bye, bye, keep cheerful."