Richardsons Cycles has been a family run business since 1926 after Harry Richardson moved to Leigh-on-Sea from Stoke Newington. He opened the shop in Leigh Broadway initially, then later purchased 101 Elm Road, and shortly after purchased 99 Elm Road and moved his business there.

The shop ran there for a number of years, then in 1956 another Richardson (Harry’s son Don) expanded the business by opening another bicycle shop in Hadleigh. Don’s shop began in a small unit along the London Road which sold and repaired bicycles. Later Don moved his shop a little further down the London Road to occupy number 301.

In 1976, Don’s son Erik left school and began working in the shop, around the same time Don took over his Aunt’s toy shop, number 299. With this expansion, the Hadleigh shop began to sell Dinky toys, Corgi Diecast toys, Airfix, Revell kits, Scalextric motor racing toys and Hornby trains, alongside selling and repairing bicycles.

In 1979, Erik joined his parents as a business partner and then in 1983 brought the cycling business back to Elm Road where Harry Richardson started it all.

In 1986 the Hadleigh branch of the shop closed due to Don’s retirement. The Leigh store is still there, to this day, in the original place where it began all those years ago, at 99-101 Elm Road.

Today, there are two generations of Richardson’s in the shop; Erik and his daughter Danielle, who are working together to ensure the Richardson brand moves with the times whilst continuing to uphold the reputable, trustworthy, and renowned business built by generations of Richardson’s.