Cooney’s fruit and veg has been keeping the people of Sunderland in fresh fruit and veg for 80 years, but this weekend is the end of an era.
Bennet Cooney, known as Benny, has the last remaining Cooney’s stall, which has been selling a kaleidoscope of produce outside of the former Wilkos site for the past 20 years.
But with the 68-year-old retiring, the stall, which is the city’s last outdoor fruit and veg stall, will also close. Here’s a look back through the years.
1. End of an era
Saturday, November 1, 2025, is the final day of trading at Cooney's stall, which started life on a bomb site in Union Street. | Sunderland Echo
2. A booming business
Benny’s grandad, Harry Greenwell, established the family business, following in the footsteps of his ancestors who had also worked in the trade. Benny’s mam Shirley, Harry’s daughter, pictured, worked on the bomb site stall with her dad and would go on to open two Cooney’s shops in Hetton, as well as one in Easington Lane. Her brother, Richie Greenwell, meanwhile, set up branches in Villette Road and Jacky Whites. | Sunderland Echo
3. Decades of trading
Cooney's also had a barrow in Market Square and a stall in Park Lane Market, which ran for 30 years. | Submitted
4. The glory days
The Park Lane Market Cooney's pictured by our photographers in 1984. | Sunderland Echo