A LITTLE bit of colour drained out of the Cowley Road last night as one of the street’s iconic shops pulled down its shutters for the very last time.

For a quarter of a century, Bead Games has been selling all the vintage clothing, fancy dress costumes, and sweets anyone could need.

To passers-by, it might seem that for the entire 25 years a ‘closing down’ sign has been displayed in the window of the much-loved store.

The shop has become well known among students and bargain-hunters in East Oxford as a gold mine of vintage clothing, unusual hats, and rental clothes nestling next to a few joke shop favourites and rows of childhood sweets.

But yesterday, after months of trying to find someone to take over the lease, owner Erica Steinhauer, shut up shop for the last time.

Ms Steinhauer, who has been a campaigning force for independent traders along the road, said she was sad that she could not find anyone to take over the unit, which will now stand empty.

She said: “I am looking forward to the next chapter of my life.

“I am writing the story of my life up to now which will obviously include Bead Games and the Cowley Road.

“But there will be a very deep sadness because of what is happening with the rents and the rates.

“It seems these sorts of independent businesses are no longer viable.

“I had a few talented women lined up to take over the shop. But that is not to be.”

Bead Games was set up in 1986, with Ms Steinhauer designing beaded jewellery and fashion accessories to sell to Boots, Harrods and Paperchase.

In 2007, she opened Sweet Haven, a traditional sweet shop inside Bead Games, which for a short time turned the shop’s fortunes around.

In her time, Ms Steinhauer has dressed the great and good of Oxford, including bands Supergrass, Foals, and Radiohead.

The shop has also featured in Inspector Morse, and will be shown in next series of detective drama Lewis, with Morse author Colin Dexter in a cameo role.

Ms Steinhauer said: “I hope that people will remember Bead Games as a creative space, in which they found a spaciousness of time and imagination to make things and create things, and most of all to inspire themselves.”

Ms Steinhauer will take any unsold clothes and items to Cowley Road charity shops today, and this evening she will party with friends at the empty unit. She has asked all attending to wear an item either bought from Bead Games, or one that ‘looks like it could have been’.