A high street pet shop in North-East London may be forced to close down because of plans to turn the building into a restaurant.

Family-run Parker’s Pets has been trading in Stoke Newington High Street for over 40 years but is set to close in March.

The pet shop is run by Mike and Jeff Parker, sons of the store’s founder Albert Parker. They sold the freehold to the building two years ago and have recently tried to find alternative premises.

Mike told the Hackney Gazette: “Our time has come to an end, because the leaseholder of the property feels he can get a higher rental income elsewhere.”

Mike and Jeff, who run a reptile and aquatic shop in Romford and a kennels in Harlow, have been looking unsuccessfully for another shop but they haven’t found anything they can afford.

Mike added: “We are disappointed. We have loyal customers and they are disappointed too.

“They want us to find somewhere else because there isn’t really another local pet shop in the locality, so we are still looking around to see if we can find something suitable.

“We want to carry on the business in the area if we can find something at the right price.”