MP Toys and Models 4 Fore Street
A point in time
If you would like to share your memories of MP Toys and Models, or 4 Fore Street, you can complete our 'Your Memories of Chard' form here, message us on the Museum Facebook page or visit us at the Museum.
The Museum has photos of both Wards Newsagents and Harrimans, a men’s outfitters, previous occupants of this site.
In the late 1970s Chris Case established Cee Bee’s, a record and book shop on the ground floor of 4 Fore Street. His brother, Bill Case together with Colin Gollop set up MP Toys and Models Shop on the first floor. When Chris moved on, Bill then moved his business downstairs. Bill was then able to provide a huge variety of toys and games at prices that would suit everyone’s pocket, from four old pennies upwards, while holding a lot more stock upstairs. As well as soft toys for smaller children, there were dolls, such as baby Jenny, toy typewriters and microwaves, dolls prams and pushchairs, tractors and trikes. There were also games and puzzles and model kits for aeroplanes, ships and helicopters, as well as for Concorde.
A newspaper article from 1986 called the shop “fantasy island”. It also reported that people would have to go a long way to find a better railway selection and railway modellers used the shop a lot.
Locals remember the excitement of waiting outside the shop for the latest toy of the moment, such as Star Wars models, a Care Bear, a Transformer or the latest Scalextric set.
The site has long been occupied by Holland and Barrett.