Tuesday 12 April 2016

Saturday is Record Store Day but there are no participating record stores in the Borough of Barnet

Record Store Day
Saturday is record store day. Those of us who are interested in music know that Vinyl has made a startling resergence over the last couple of years. I excitedly looked at the nearest store checker for my local store. I intended to do a write up of the shops in Barnet and check them out over the next couple of day. Sadly I was shocked to find that there are no  participating   stores in the Borough.

The Borough of Barnet had a proud history of Record stores. In Mill Hill we had Derek Tynes  store in the Broadway. We then had a record shop next to Budgens in what is now The Bridge Tavern. Later on Stephen Siger relocated from Edgware to Mill Hill. I bought many records from these outlets. I knew Stephen Sigers daughter Jackie from School and I was his last customer in Mill Hill before he closed.

In Burnt Oak, there was a record shop next to Burnt Oak station. I cant recall the name, but it achieved a degree of retropsective fame as BBC Radio London presenter Robert Elms worked there. In Edgware, as well as Stephen Siger, we had Loppylugs. They were also based in a small shop in Finchley central. To be honest I didn't shop much at Loppylugs as they were more a chart and soul shop which wasn't to my taste.

Hendon also had a decent record shop by the 113 bus stop. I can remember fnding a copy of "Your Saving Grace" by the Steve Miller band in 1978 that had sat in the shelf since 1969. I was chuffed.

Then there was Our Price in Brent Cross. Given my unusual tastes, I usually shopped at the Mill Hill shops and they would order in records specially for me. I'd often order two or three copies for mates. I can remember ordering six copies of Live at The Witch Trials by the Fall, for mates I'd persuaded that they were the best thing since sliced bread. The long suffering Neil, who managed the shop spent hours tracking down the distributors of Step Forward records. He was a soul boy, but soon recognised that there were a few people in Mill Hill who he could sell obscure punk to. He'd order stuff in and I'd feel duty bound to buy it. Much of that is now worth good money.

But now we have no such stores in the Borough. When Tory MP Matthew Offord was seeking election in 2010, he famously said that he wanted Mill Hill Broadway to be the type of place where people open cheese shops. It would be great if they wanted to open record stores as well.  Could a record store work in Mill Hill? Well I was told that a studio couldn't yet now we have 1,000 musicians a week visiting us. I think record stores have to be fit for purpose in the year 2016, but if you look at Rough Trade they have done a great job. I'd love to see Mill Hill become a go to location for record buyers (maybe on the way to the studio).

One store that isn't listed on the locator is run by a Borough of Barnet Legend, Mr Boz Boorer. Checkout https://www.vinylhub.com/shop/6769-Vinyl-Boutique-Records for details.

There is of course Alan's records in East Finchley, who are also not listed


The stores that do come up are :-

Les Aldrich Music Ltd - 4.77 Miles
98 Fortis Green Road , Muswell Hill , London, NH10 3HN
 
Audio Gold - 5.38 Miles
308-310 Park Road, Crouch End, London, N8 8LA
 
Flashback Records - 6.02 Miles
144 Crouch Hill, London, N8 9DX
 
Sounds That Swing - 7.02 Miles
88 Parkway, Camden Town, London, NW1 7HB
 
Rough Trade West - 7.14 Miles
130 Talbot Road, London, W11 1JA
 
The LP Cafe - 7.15 Miles
173 The Parade , Watford, WD17 1NJ
 
All Ages Records - 7.16 Miles
27a Pratt Street, Camden , London, NW1 0BG
 
Flashback Records - 8.41 Miles
50 Essex Road, London, N1 8LR
 
If Music - 8.51 Miles
12 D'Arblay Street, London, W1F 8DU
 
Phonica Records - 8.51 Miles
51 Poland Street, London, W1F 7LZ
 
Sister Ray - 8.55 Miles
75 Berwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 8TG
 
Reckless Records - 8.55 Miles
30 Berwick Street, London, W1F 8RH
 
Sounds Of The Universe - 8.59 Miles
7 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 0DA
 
Brill/Clerkenwell Music - 8.66 Miles
27 Exmouth Market, London, EC1R 4QL
 
Intoxica - 8.95 Miles
11 Cecil Court, London, WC2N 4EZ
 
Love Vinyl - 9.39 Miles
5 Pearson Street, London, E2 8JD
 
Lion Coffee & Records - 9.46 Miles
118 Lower Clapton Road , London, E5 0QR
 
Sister Ray Ace - 9.69 Miles
100 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JQ
 
Flashback Records - 9.90 Miles
131 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 7DG
 
Rough Trade East - 10.06 Miles
Draywalk, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL
 
Empire Records - 10.17 Miles
21 Heritage Close, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 4EB
 
Vinyl Pimp - 10.81 Miles
14 Felstead Street, London, E9 5LT

No comments: