Desmond McDaniel with his great nephew Charlie

LOYAL customers raised a toast to “the heart and soul of Liverpool Road” and “one of Islington’s last remaining true gentlemen” after a popular shopkeeper died unexpectedly.

Desmond McDaniel, 71, passed away in July after a short illness.

While it is believed to be a recurrence of the cancer that saw him lose his voice 10 years ago, an investigation into the cause of death is ongoing. He was found at his Holloway home two days before he was due to start treatment at hospital.

Although a teetotaller himself, he worked at Islington Wines in Liverpool Road for more than 30 years.

Relatives, customers and co-workers this week paid tribute to his role as a “huge part of the community” as they prepared for his funeral next week.

Desi Sheridan, who worked with him when she was a teenager in the 1990s, said: “He was one in a million, he really was. He welcomed everybody with an absolute smile and a warm handshake and always asked people how they were. He knew everyone by their name.”

Mr McDaniel working in Islington Wines

She said while he had had a laryngectomy after a battle with throat cancer 10 years ago, this did not slow him down. Less than two years later he was turning on the Christmas lights at the N1 Centre in Parkfield Street, Angel, and happily chatting away.

“He carried on working – even when he lost his voice,” she added.

“The laryngectomy didn’t make any difference; he was still quite keen to chat. He was very chatty.”

She said despite “never touching a drop” of alcohol, the devout Roman Catholic was “definitely a wine connoisseur” who dedicated himself to his customers and “was at his happiest when he was behind the counter”.

Islington Wines in Liverpool Road

Customers have been left “devastated” and remembered a man who was always “immaculately” turned out, Ms Sheridan said, adding most people who went into the shop did not just go in for the wine – but a chat as well.

A fan of 1960s music, notably Frankie Valli, the music due to be played at his funeral will however focus on his love of hymns and reflect his Irish heritage.

Mr McDaniel was born in Sligo and visited family in Cork, but left aged six and moved to north London.

His younger sister, Ann Crouch, remembered him as “a very kind, generous and very sociable man” who “made friends with everybody”.

She added: “No one has a bad word to say about him. He always helped people willingly. He was a people person.

“He wasn’t interested in material things for himself, it was always about giving to other people.

Mr McDaniel as a boy

“From when he was very young he was always helping people – that was his character, that’s the way he was. He always gave and never wanted to receive.”

The family have a launched a gofundme page in order to give him a big send-off.

Ms Crouch said she wanted to explore the level of care he received from his doctor’s surgery and hospital when his inquest is held.

She said: “I feel he was let down by the NHS. He thought he would recover and he was looking forward to going back to work because he loved it there.”

His funeral will be held next Tuesday at St Pancras and Islington Crematorium with a send-off from the shop starting at 11am.

To donate go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/desmond-mcdaniel-funeral

Mr McDaniel leaves his sister, three nephews, three great-nephews and many cousins.