photo source: unknown
Martin Richter… and still do
Alan Esdaile… Reminds me a bit of Jepsons Robertson Street, where they had the top floor full of toys
Martin Richter… the shop by what is now Bar Moda (the town crier, new central, the GI) had an upstairs that was full of kits and lego and meccanno and you could order bits for your chemistry set !
Alan Esdaile… I was thinking of that shop Martin, was it called Arbers? Used to buy horror models like Frankenstein etc.
Martin Richter… my grandparents used to give me 50p pocket money on a Friday and a pack of “top trumps” was 48p – living the dream
Dennis Torrance… Loads of model kits of every description also plastic soldiers the small ones in boxes eight army German loads of them
Mark Praid… When working together Aircraft Models were practically the only thing Peter Sellers and Graham Stark talked about. They both loved them.
Brian Rogers… I was in heaven. Made loads
Alan Parker… yeah many a time I tried to pick Linda Lusardi of the shelf
Pete Brazier… I remember the kits were affordable for kids! Now they are too pricy for most adults 
😡 if these company’s halved the prices more people would bye them and those who do already would bye twice as much!
Lyn Humphrey… Smiths, and Gamleys in Bexhill both sold Airfix kits. Me and my friends almost exclusively bought the World War 2 RAF planes like the Spitfire. Although once we’d exhausted them we weren’t averse to buying a few jet fighters.
Will Cornell… The chain over here in the US called Hobby Lobby still has a pretty awesome aisle of models plus the paints and stuff to go along with them. They are the ones who made the news a few years ago by refusing to offer the abortion pill in their health plan, the Govt sued them…and Hobby Lobby took it to the Supreme Court and won. They also have a great deal of stuff to embellish cigar box guitars.
Roy Penfold… One shop still going strong – used to have a coin operated train set in the window years ago.
Chris Meachen… Oh yes, I remember Jepsons in Robertson Street had a fabulous airfix department, as did Woolworths, plus there was Arbers toy shop opposite where the disc jockey was. I seem to recall they had a big room of airfix upstairs.. My pocket money generally went to one of those three..
Pete Brazier… don’t forget The Penny Tharthing in London Road just up from the opening to Kings Road and there was the Kings Road model shop too! And there was a shop in the marina that did trains as well!
Alan Esdaile…Yes remember the shop at Marina, just along from Azur on the other side). Happy memories of watching the train go round. Got most of mine from Arbers. The posh staff in Jepsons used to give you a funny look and watch every move you made.
Chris Meachen… Didn’t get to St. Leonards much as a kid, only to visit mum’s friend along marina, which is when the big train in the shop window got my penny.. Incidentally, they were American ‘O’ gauge models by Lionel, a company now owned by Neil Young…
Dave Nattress… Yes, definitely the Airfix kits, mainly aircraft. I remember doing the Lancaster bomber, puzzled why the plastic kit was Black. As I was born impatient my mother thought it would be a good idea to do model kits to acquire some. Didn’t work, and haven’t gained any more in a long hard life. LOL!! Trouble was also, almost invariably I made the kits up before painting them – bad move. Also made a huge long kit of the SS France liner. And once in Harrods – the only thing I ever bought from there from the toy department – I was arguably adult by then, was a good size kit – maybe it was by Airfix or was there a maker called Revell? of an F14/A Tomcat. Never did make it up, lost it many years ago!! Nostalgic to see these kits still in some shops. Quite fancy doing one now and again.
Lyn Humphrey… Yes, the rival company was Revell, Dave, but we tended to only ever buy Airfix. I bet my McDonnell Phantom could beat up your Tomcat–mainly because my Phantom was the only one I never ruined with too much glue.
Alan Parker… airfix was always cheaper than revell and on a very low pocket money income that was important
Dave Nattress… Well Lynn, indeed, the Phantom would have won it, because as I said I never got round to making it up – duh! Then it dissappeared, goodness knows when or where but I did move house about that time. Pretty potent machine though the F14 – as dramatised in Top Gun of course, and a couple of Tomcats did sort out some Libyan fighters on at least one notable occasion.
Lawrence Ralph… Thanks for transporting me back to my childhood with the Arbers reference, I recall the top floor being very narrow with model kits stacked either side of the walkway. I dont recall the ground floor though, would love to see some photos of the shop, back in the 70’s.
Alan Esdaile… Remember buying lots from Arbers…
Martin Richter… if i remember correctly – they could also supply refills for your chemistry set !
Pauline Richards… Oh yes penny Fox’s shop. Used to get play people there
Will Cornell… Over here Hobby Lobby still does this–big as the old “department stores” with mostly home décor and other stuff for crafting etc, but at least one two-sided aisle with wood and plastic plane, car, ship models and more. Awesome.
Clifford Rose… In my day your toy car collection was nothing without a Batmobile and a Bond’s Aston Martin DB5
Richard J Porter… In my day there was no Batmobile or Aston Martin DB5. When they came out I had 1:1 scale cars
Mick O’Dowd… I used to get models for Christmas and they NEVER contained glue or paint and as shops were shut for what seemed to be a week I couldn’t do them. Very frustrating! My Mum hated anyone giving me one. Mind you I was never any good at doing them anyway.
Michael Wilson… I got my Batmobile from Searchers in London Road Bexhill.
Chris Meachen… My mum always made sure I got the glue..
Merv Kennard… two shops in Queens Road and one in Kings Road. I used them all
Martin Richter… i went to my grandparents every friday for dinner – they gave me 50p pocket money – top trumps were 48p – happy days
Smiths, and Gamleys in Bexhill both sold Airfix kits. Me and my friends almost exclusively bought the World War 2 RAF planes like the Spitfire. Although once we’d exhausted them we weren’t averse to buying a few jet fighters.
Yes, definitely the Airfix kits, mainly aircraft. I remember doing the Lancaster bomber, puzzled why the plastic kit was Black. As I was born impatient my mother thought it would be a good idea to do model kits to acquire some. Didn’t work, and haven’t gained any more in a long hard life. LOL!! Trouble was also, almost invariably I made the kits up before painting them – bad move. Also made a huge long kit of the SS France liner. And once in Harrods – the only thing I ever bought from there from the toy department – I was arguably adult by then, was a good size kit – maybe it was by Airfix or was there a maker called Revell? of an F14/A Tomcat. Never did make it up, lost it many years ago!! Nostalgic to see these kits still in some shops. Quite fancy doing one now and again.
Yes, the rival company was Revell, Dave, but we tended to only ever buy Airfix. I bet my McDonnell Phantom could beat up your Tomcat–mainly because my Phantom was the only one I never ruined with too much glue.
Well Lynn, indeed, the Phantom would have won it, because as I said I never got round to making it up – duh! Then it dissappeared, goodness knows when or where but I did move house about that time. Pretty potent machine though the F14 – as dramatised in Top Gun of course, and a couple of Tomcats did sort out some Libyan fighters on at least one notable occasion.
Thanks for transporting me back to my childhood with the Arbers reference, I recall the top floor being very narrow with model kits stacked either side of the walkway. I dont recall the ground floor though, would love to see some photos of the shop ,back in the 70,s.