From bike repairer to entrepreneur

We were delighted to host Gary Grant as this evening's inspirational speaker.

Gary is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded The Entertainer with his wife, Catherine, in Amersham in 1981.

From a single local shop, they built one of Britain’s largest toy retailers, with a nationwide network of stores and major retail partnerships.

His Christian faith shaped the business, including its longstanding Sunday closure policy and commitment to donating 10% of profits to charity.

In 2025, after 44 years, the Grant family transferred ownership to an employee ownership trust, allowing staff to share in the company’s success. He continues to donate time and money for the benefit of the local community.

All this was preceded by a clear willingness to work hard to earn money in his youth . Milk rounds, paper rounds , washing cars, returning bottles, etc. - these were some of the jobs he undertook in his early years.

Report bu Bruno Kilshaw