With fashion retailer Gap and bank Santander announcing the closure of some east London branches last week, the Recorder remembers some of the places that have shut up shop in Redbridge over the past decade.
Bodgers
In February 2018, one of London’s oldest department stores brought the shutters down on an incredible 125 years of trading.
Synonymous with Ilford, Bodgers department store was opened by John Bodgers in 1890 as a drapers based at 113 High Road.
The store eventually moved to its premises on Station Parade and was taken over by the Morleys Stores Group in 1959.
The shop’s closing down sale saw scenes reminiscent of its heyday, as an estimated 7,000 shoppers queued around the block.
Rosalind Perrett saw the crowds on her lunch break and said: “I’m sad to see Bodgers go, it feels like the last part of old Ilford – you don’t get shops like that anymore.”
Cakes and Shakes
The closure of the Cakes and Shakes store in High Road, Woodford Green, was tinged with tragedy.
The milkshake bar shut in February 2013 after its reopening following the shooting of owner James Bryant on the premises.
The business was reportedly sold on after the shooting, but the new owners lasted just a year in Woodford Green before closing and relocating to Gants Hill.
Boots
While Boots continue to operate in Redbridge, their “iconic” store in the centre of Ilford closed in October 2019.
The store at 177-185 High Road first opened in 1977, operating there for more than 40 years and, at the time of closure, six members of staff had been working in the building for more than 30 years.
Staff described the day as “the end of an era” and “a sad day”.
Chimichanga
Other big chains have also closed down in Redbridge over the past few years, including Chimichanga on George Lane.
The South Woodford branch of the TexMex chain was one of 94 eateries closed by the Prezzo Group in the spring of 2018.
Carphone Warehouse
Last year, the Carphone Warehouse in Ilford’s The Exchange was closed, as owner Dixons Carphones moved to combine the business into its Currys PC World stores.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here