A toy shop in a Romford shopping centre is closing permanently next week after it was deemed no longer "commercially viable".
The Entertainer in The Mercury Shopping Centre will close its doors for the final time on Monday (January 5).
The news was confirmed in October 2024 and group chief executive officer at The Entertainer, Andrew Murphy OBE then told the Recorder: “It's with considerable regret that we've concluded that it's not commercially viable to renew the lease for Romford Mercury store, and we are particularly upset at the impact this has on our colleagues, who have run the store brilliantly.
“Sadly, it is a fact of retail life that shops sometimes have to close, as shopping patterns shift and cost growth outstrips sales increases.
"We remain committed to serving the people of Romford through our nearby store at Romford Brewery."
The closure generated a range of reactions with some Recorder readers deeming it "such a shame" whilst some said "good riddance" to the shop.
Carol Fletcher said: "That’s sad to hear.
"They had lovely staff in there."
However, Bela Green thought it was expensive compared to other shops and multiple other people mentioned that the retention of the other branch in the Brewery should soften the blow.
The Mercury branch opened in 2016.
The business was founded in 1981 by Gary and Catherine Grant when they opened a toy shop in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
After 44 years at the helm, The Grant family transferred all of their holdings into an employee owned trust.
This means staff at The Entertainer have a say on how it is run and get to share in the company's profits.
There are also branches in The Exchange Centre in Ilford and Lakeside Shopping Centre in Lakeside, Grays.
Share