Who doesn’t feel nostalgic for the humble video shop? The tingle of excitement that – yes! – the new Scorsese film is in stock, the simple joy of browsing rows of movies without an algorithm in sight, or just chatting to the budding Tarantino behind the counter about which Donnie Yen movie is worth renting. And maybe being let off the late fee when you return it two weeks later.
For most Londoners, that analogue pleasure has been a distant memory. But not in Forest Green, where independent video shop For Your Eyes Only and its owner, movie lover Gulam Charania, have been keeping South East London in VHS’s, DVDs and video games for 25 years.
It has seen off Blockbuster and until recently was repeating the trick with Netflix, Amazon Prime and co, but the clock is now ticking down on its future. The financial impact of the pandemic, combined with a three-month closure in 2022 when a car smashed through the shopfront, has left For Your Eyes Only on the brink of closure. Watch our story below.
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But help may be at hand: there’s a GoFundMe in place for anyone willing and able to lend some financial support, and with £1000 already raised of its £5000 target, For Your Eyes Only may yet fight on.
Alternatively, show your support on its Facebook page.
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