Oxford party shop Frog Orange in Jericho closes on Saturday

Frog Orange Party, in Jericho, ends more than 30 years of trading after a nightmare year that started with a '30 per cent' drop in revenue following the closure of Walton Street last summer.

The Kingston Road store then had to issue thousands of pounds worth of refunds when lockdown caused the cancellation of events such as college balls, school proms and weddings.

With owner Becky Lee-Allen also unable to agree a rent reduction from landlord St John’s College, she has no choice but to close the store.

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She said: “Our turnover is so small that I’ve got to cut my losses.

“Jericho has had a party shop at its heart since the 1980s, so it’s such a shame.

“We’ve had customers in tears. Loads are utterly upset that we’re going.

“We’re only a party shop, but we’re popular because we’re responsible, friendly and fun.

“A customer said they’ll bring in a cake next Saturday and quite a few people are going to pop in and say goodbye.”

The shop is on the roundabout where Kingston Road meets Walton Street and previously relied on passing trade from customers using its car park.

But the latter road will remain shut until a Jericho Low Traffic Neighbourhood has been ‘designed, consulted on and funded’, Oxfordshire County Council said last month.

Frog Orange Party shut for three months due to lockdown and turnover remains more than 50 per cent down on normal levels.

Mrs Lee-Allen, from Headington, said: “Normally Halloween would be massive, but are people going to be knocking on each other’s doors trick or treating?

“I would usually have spent my money for Halloween by now, but we don’t know what’s happening next week at the moment.”

The shop’s owner had spoken to St John’s about a rent reduction, but could not reach an agreement.

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A college spokesperson said: “The college’s advisers have been liaising with the Frog Orange Party shop for some time, following a proposal by the party shop to abandon trading in that location, transfer the lease and concentrate their business at their Headington location.

“These discussions started well before the Covid-19 pandemic, and the tenant was marketing the lease of the business last year but it failed to sell.

“To assist the tenant, the college has been marketing the unit at its own expense.

“The college is always willing to listen to approaches from its tenants, but takes the view that the central issues here are commercial decisions for Frog Orange Party shop to resolve.”

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Mrs Lee-Allen bought the store, previously called Partymania, nine years ago.

Weekend staff will move over to sister shop Frog Orange Balloons in Headington, but its one full-time employee will be out of a job.

Jenny Potter has worked at the Jericho store since 1991 and Mrs Lee-Allen is heartbroken for her colleague.

She said: “I love my job and I’m absolutely gutted for Jenny.”