There will be no final encore for Albert’s Music Shop, where Queen reportedly settled on their band name, when the Twickenham store closes its doors for the last time next week.

Established 62 years ago, the iconic Heath Road shop has been hit by the declining high street and rising business rates in recent years.

The shop will close next week and owner Stephen Kauth, grandson of founder Albert Kauth, believes the time is right to walk away.

He said: "These are changing times for the high street and it feels like the right time to go before things get rotten.

"It's all gone online these days, the overheads have gone up and the footfall has gone down - it's been on the back-burner for about a year to be honest.

"The rates keep going up and we get nothing or very little for it."

Your Local Guardian:

Albert's, which has had various shops along Heath Road but remained in the current premises since 1984, sold mainly second-hand instruments, particularly accordions, when it first opened.

Ownership passed from Albert to his son Eric, before Stephen took full over full day-to-day running in 1998.

And for Stephen, his grandfather was ahead of his time in spying the gap in the market in Twickenham.

He said: "He saw an opportunity and opened the shop in 1952 and then the 60s came along and it all took off.

"The peak times were probably the 70s or 80s - we had 12 staff at one time, compared to just me now - but even in the early 2000s, the shop was doing well."

The shop proved popular with musicians of all ages, with rumours that Phil Collins bought his first drum kit from the shop while the rock band Queen supposedly settled on their name while visiting.

The property has been sold to a developer and it is expected any new retail premises will be smaller.

News of the shop's closure has been met with sadness from those who remember it in its heyday.

Nazia Dewji said: "I bought my first recorder from there and I loved it so much - it’s sad to see Albert’s close because it reminds me of my childhood."

Laura Garnham tweeted: "Sad Albert’s music shop in Twickenham is closing down, it’s an institution".

Albert's is holding a closing down sale with all products half-price.