![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/colorful-original-dvd-movie-collection-374027206.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLONDON is saying goodbye to its last ever DVD rental shop which was open for more than 25 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Your Eyes Only in Forest Hill owned by Gulam Charania has officially closed shutting its doors for good on Monday 13 November.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The video store held over 11,000 DVDs, video games and Blu-rays.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some noticeable famous faces were among its customers including Con O\u2019Neill and Hugo Speer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The store managed to battle against buyout offers from industry giants like Blockbuster back when business was booming – it seems the small store has managed to outlive them all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the store has seen blow after blow, not one but two cars smashed into the front of the store in two different accidents.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both incidents caused the store to close which which massively disrupted months of essential trade.\u00a0<\/p>\n The store also had to battle the rise of online streaming and piracy which soared particularly during the pandemic.<\/p>\n The owner has been left devastated, Mr Gulam described the closure as \u201cthe end of an era.\u201d<\/p>\n He confessed: \u201cI\u2019m holding it together, but I am going through a sort of depression.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Mr Gulam recalled how some of his customers would travel far to his store to pick up a few DVDs even after having moved out of the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most were just glad to see that he was still open.<\/p>\n Locals on Facebook were shocked after hearing the news – many commented the store reminded them of the \u201cblockbuster days\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n One user said: \u201cSuch as shame.\u201d<\/p>\n Another said: \u201cI miss the blockbuster days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat memories of having a video shop,\u201d said a third.<\/p>\n A fourth user protested: \u201cStreaming sucks. Bring back the stores!\u201d<\/p>\n A GoFundMe page was set up by supporters early this year when they heard the store was heading towards closure.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mr Gulam explained despite \u00a32,300 being raised the store relies on a consistent customer base that it has not seen for months and the funds would only cover bills for a few months.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a long time since we\u2019ve seen video rental stores on our high streets.\u00a0<\/p>\n Blockbuster officially rented its last-ever movie in November 2013, shortly after after filing for bankruptcy.\u00a0<\/p>\n At its peak, Blockbuster was allegedly opening a store every 17 hours and by 2004 it had over 9,000 stores across the US and employed 84,000 people worldwide.<\/p>\n Blockbuster closed its doors in the UK in December 2013, while the only remaining Blockbuster store is on Ben, Oregon is still open. <\/p>\n Unfortunately, it\u2019s not just the film industry that has been hit hard.<\/p>\n High street retailers have been struggling immensely over the past few years.<\/p>\n Energy costs\u00a0have risen and more shoppers than ever are choosing to order online rather than head into stores.<\/p>\n This has left some retailers grappling with budgets and have no choice but to close stores to cut costs.<\/p>\n Boots revealed it would be closing 300 stores over the next year as part of plans to\u00a0evolve its brand.\u00a0<\/p>\n B&M has closed nine of its stores\u00a0since February this year.<\/p>\n Poundstretcher has closed five stores this year\u00a0with another due to close by next year.<\/p>\n Even\u00a0Tesco announced it will be closing a store last week.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/newspress-collage-24679877-1699522661229.jpg\")
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