Earlier this month, Kingfisheries, on 308-310 Croydon Road, announced with “deep regret” that the aquarium will close for good on December 6.
Owners of Kingfisheries said it was a “hard decision” and came due to factors such as retirement.
Lee Ingham and Stanley Kemp are the directors of the aquarium, and they work alongside Graham and Carl, all of whom extended a heartfelt thank you to their friends and customers.
In a statement on their website, they said: “Working in the same shop was never a chore.
“We all enjoyed our work, happy in the knowledge that we have welcomed so many to the hobby of fishkeeping.
“Our only regret is we could not continue longer, our hope is that our customers will continue to enjoy the hobby as much as we have.”
Kingfisheries first opened in 1953 as a shop that sold accessories and foods for dogs, cats, and birds.
The shop later expanded into the neighbouring unit and gradually phased out its general pet supplies, transforming into a fully aquatic store.
The owners said: “It is with deep regret that we have to announce that Kingfisheries will close for good on Saturday 6th, December.
“It was a hard decision, but due to retirement and other factors, we are going to close so Lee, Graham, Carl, and Stan would like to say a heartfelt thank you to our friends and customers.
“I put friends first, because in truth our customers did become friends to us all, as indeed did over the years their children.”
