WHEN the country went into lockdown in March, many people worked through, providing essential services to their communities. One such service was the humble newsagents - a resource arguably neglected and pushed into the shadows in recent years, but one which once again became the heart of their areas this year. The Gazette caught up with some of Basingstoke’s most dedicated newsagent owners, to hear about how this year has been for them. One thing that was evidently clear in meeting each of the shop owners was a genuine dedication to their communities. All were family businesses, with the ‘newest’ having run their shop for more than 15 years.