Had an email today saying that their website closes tomorrow. I went into one of their shops last week. It was covered in "Closing Down Sales" notices but despite the huge discounts couldn't find anything worth buying. Very sad really, I was one of their first customers back in the early 70's as a student buying components for building my own hifi and other electronic gizmos and even an electronic ignition system for my Ford Escort. I still buy electronic stuff but mainly off ebay - sign of the times.
RIP Maplin.  3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

My wife used to phone our daughter to ask "Bet you can't guess where we are".

"Maplins" was invariably the reply.


She was always correct.

Not the cheapest shop in the world but it was always handy. Especially if you weren't sure what you were looking for. I used it a lot at work

I agree, a sad day.

As a lad I would often be in their very first shop getting components to make speaker cabinets, flash bomb igniters, jack fields and the 101 other things a teenage band needs.

Back then they were very much the place to go for electrical, audio and electronics components. As the years have gone by, and the number of shops increased, there was less of the "good stuff" and more and more cheap toys from China. The last time I went in there for components I was really disappointed at the poor choice available.

While the shelves were filled with a mixture of tat and worthwhile stuff the worthwhile stuff was never especially cheap compared to the same items off Amazon.

My son and I went in to see what we could get at their "Closing Down Sale". Even then, with discounts included, anything we might have thought about buying was cheaper from Amazon.

I miss the Maplin I knew as a teenager but, while the name was the same, that store has been slowly dying for years now.

My lad had his first full time Job with Maplins messing with your computers, pretty much self taught. Must have been OK at it as he now works for here and in the States and its all hush hush. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

I recall that when Maplin started in the early 70's the name was derived from Maplin Sands in Essex which was to be the site of the third London Airport. Here we are nearly 50 years on and still no decision on that one. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Yes, I’ll miss it too. As a complete amateur to electronics, I always found Maplin useful for when you knew what you wanted to do, but were not quite sure what components were easily available to let you do it. Yes, the web might be cheaper, but only if you know exactly what you are looking for and what it is called. It’s like Borders was with books...sure Amazon is cheaper, but sometimes browsing a selection in a shop gets you something that you would never have looked for on-line. 2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel

Another one gone Liked Maplins . If it wasn't so bad it'd be funny.

🐑
Freelander 2 HSE auto 2014 ( Florrie ) ..... Try again.
Freelander 2 GS 2012...... Gone.

Had a look in my workshop today (tidying up after moving everything around for new garage door) and found a number of Maplin magazines including a 1984 catalogue and several Maplin books detailing various projects.
By coincidence my Maplins clock radio (circa 1980's) gave up the ghost at the same time as Maplin's demise was announced.
As with others, all my components are now sourced via RS Components, Farnell or ebay. In some instances it's almost as quick as to buy from China. 11 GS Bali Blue
07 GS FL2. Usually muddy. Gone
Numerous LRs since 1963

I built the Maplin Electronic Organ back in the 80's. Mentioned it to some guys at work and then found that I was getting calls across the office like "How's your organ this morning" or "Have you been playing with your organ" etc Got a bit tedious.  3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

I miss Bardwells Electronics of Abbeydale Road Sheffield - great shop stuffed with kit and more importantly staffed by people who actually knew what they were talking about  No Longer the owner of a 2013MY Fuji White GS

"Fiat Lux" a philosophy not a car

SWMBO used to drop me off at Maplins before going shoe shopping on her own. She treated it like a crèche - where am I gonna go now?  Cheers,
Raz
FL1 TD4 GS Auto 2001 Silver
FL2 TD4 Auto 2007 Black
FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2012 Fuji White

Years ago I used to buy all my electrical / electronic bits in Maplin, for example my wired house alarm.

I cannot blame anyone else for their closure as I, like many others, started buying more and more on line.

I am still sorry to see it go,

Thank you Maplins! FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 77k+ miles) (MY2015)
Metro in its 11th Year of (Extended) LR Warranty / Full LR Service History
(Expensive, but Trouble/Worry free - hopefully?)

westville wrote:

I miss Bardwells Electronics of Abbeydale Road Sheffield - great shop stuffed with kit and more importantly staffed by people who actually knew what they were talking about

Does anyone remember Tottenham Court Rd in London in the 70's when it was full of Government surplus shops selling all sorts of goodies? (I think they are all mobile phone shops nowadays) . I used to go to London regularly on business and would wander down at lunch time, the trouble was that if you walked in with a suit on you got charged more. I got to the stage where I would leave my jacket and tie in the office. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE