“another good shop going i use to go in there when i was a child buying my bits for school now i am 60 a very long time ago. been living in yorkshire for 15 years but come to croydon twice a year and always pop in there to get knick nacks. will miss this place so much.”

“what am I going to do now turtles was the place you went when you need something and you were not sure who would sell it. I love the place, although not sure if it would be the same in a new location.”

“I wonder if they considered doing an employee buy-out? If Mr. Turtle wants to retire, it would make sense for the 30 employees who are about to lose their jobs to club together and buy the business.
I suspect the real problem is that there's nowhere to move the business to. It depends on walk-in lunch time business. Moving it outside the Central Croydon area would doom the business.”

“Shall miss such a establishment, so helpful. When looking for bolts Turtles did suggest this company who are helpful and not far from Croydon centre, they also do tools etc

Capital Supplies Ltd

87, Boston Rd, Croydon, Surrey CR0 3EJ
Tel: 020 8665 5520”

“Another one goes. For those that want to use the small stores, then do so. You will surprised by what you find. For the essentials they are actually often cheaper then B&Q and Screwfix. One example is Melvyn Clarkes at Carshalton Wryth Green but I am sure there are others.”

“I am in total agreement with previous comments. After having worked on an off in Croydon for around 12 years, I too always found the staff in Turtles very knowledgeable and very helpful to customers. Surely a weathly businessman/woman exists somewhere that could take Turtles on as a going concern to a new location in Croydon?”

“Turtles is a wonderful shop that sells everything you can't buy elsewhere and at reasonable prices. The staff have the answer to every question, unlike other DIY centres who employ young staff with no knowledge, experience or interest. How sad for the owner that no one in his family is keen to keep the shop trading.”

“This is a very sad day for Croydon. The town used to have such charm, with this wonderful shop that sells virtually everything, and Beano's with its 3 floors of wonderful things. These are all going, and it's such a shame.”

“I call into Turtles whenever I visit the UK and will miss them terribly. They sell so many things that I just can't get elsewhere. Thanks to them for so many years of enthusiastic, well-informed service.

You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, as the song says.

Turtles was the last of the independent shops whose reputation built Croydon. It would appear that Croydon has no wish to be different from other shopping centres - a lego-like rearrangement of the same shopfronts as those visible in every other town.

The big difference is that you pay the earth to park in Croydon and frankly, without Turtles, I might just as well visit Lakeland, the Glades, the Bentalls Centre, or many others, and probably will do so.

Certainly the last time I wandered around Croydon I was very disappointed: I spent more in Turtles than I did anywhere else apart from buying lunch!”

“I will miss Turtles when it closes you can always find things you cant get anywhere else there. That or the staff will point you in the right direction. Allders went down hill years ago who else remembers the wonderful christmas windows they had?”