Wholesale Tropicals, in Bethnal Green Road, was established by Terry Jones Senior in 1967. Since then, four generations of the Jones family have worked there across a 57-year period.
Terry Sr turned his hobby for keeping fish into a wholesale business and, after 12 years, he began selling to the public.
But his son Terry Jr, who now directs the business, has taken the “gut-wrenching” decision to close the doors permanently.
“I’m as gutted as everyone else, if not more. It’s my business and I’ve worked here for 40 years with my father.
“If I get customers coming in now with a tear in their eye, I say ‘don’t do that – how do you think me and him (his father) feel?’ You’re upsetting me by doing that – just let us go.”
Terry Sr, now aged 87, still owns the building and according to Terry Jr, advised his son to close the doors before things get worse.
When asked why it was closing, Terry Jr said it was for financial reasons.
“My electricity bill is around £3,000 per month and that’s just gone up again,” he said.
“A lot of our customers now want to drive to us but the cost of driving into London now when you have an older vehicle is too high.
“One of my customers who has a very old car told me that if he drives to my shop and parks for an hour, he has to pay £37.50 – who wants to pay that?
“It is a real shame and this is where you find out how much your customers really do like you – it is sad times, it’s horrible.”
Four generations of the Jones family have worked at Wholesale Tropicals: Terry Sr, his mother, Terry Jr and two of his sons.
“It is a gut-wrenching decision but we’ve got to do it before things get any worse. We’ll get out with our heads held high.
“We didn’t do too bad for two cockney boys.”
The shop will close its doors for the final time this Sunday (January 26).
“We said we’d do January and that’s what we’ve done.
“I want to thank everyone for their business and loyalty over the years.
“We really appreciate it and it has helped to support four generations of my family.”
