EastEnders actor Shane Richie has waded into a debate over Reigate's latest shop.
"Hideous", "tacky" and "eyesore" are among the comments directed at Homeware Zone, which opened in the former Blockbuster store in High Street on Friday, selling everything from an inflatable dinghy to rugs, kitchen utensils, and hookah pipes.
Outraged residents argue it is "just not Reigate" and have demanded to know why it is allowed to display its colourful plastic wares on the pavement in front of the shop windows.
It has angered the town's resident celebrity too. Yesterday Mr Richie tweeted a picture of the shop to Reigate and Banstead Borough Council with the words: "How embarrasing... you should be ashamed, how could you let this happen?"
The council replied: "Hi there, this is a landlord matter, the council doesn't have a say on this unless there is a change of use."
Mr Richie countered: "And blocking the pavement with brightly coloured cheap plastic containers & inflatable tigers isn't your problem?"
The business has been given a short-term lease at a low rent until a permanent tenant moves in. But it has caused uproar on social media.
Residents have been taking to Twitter to express their disgust, calling the shop "hideous", and demanding to know why it is allowed to display its wares outside. Others have hit back, calling the backlash "snobbish".
Mr Richie responded to one such tweet with: "Worked bloody hard to be a snob."
For much more on this story, see tomorrow's Surrey Mirror
