The Entertainer in The Mercury Shopping Centre will close for the final time on January 5, 2026.
Group chief executive officer at The Entertainer Andrew Murphy OBE 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 shared how she thought it was expensive compared to other shops and multiple other people mentioned having the other branch in the Brewery should soften the blow.
The Entertainer opened its branch in The Mercury in 2016.
The business was founded in 1981 by Gary and Catherine Grant when they opened a toy shop in Amersham, Buckinghamshire.
In 1999 The Entertainer launched online and in 2013 it went international opening stores in Azerbaijan and Pakistan.
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.
The next closest Entertainer branch to the Mercury site is in The Brewery in Waterloo Road.
There is also a branch in The Exchange Centre in Ilford and Lakeside Shopping Centre in Lakeside, Grays.
