HMV Oxford Street - Closing Down Sale

[Thropplenoggin]

I spent many a morning in the big HMV. It's unimaginable now that you'd actually have to travel to a shop to buy something and that you might not know roughly what it sounds like first. Jeepers.

The shop I used to go to in Nottingham in the late 90s/early 00s had a listening room for customers. I believe it's still going but seems to have moved.

[teamsaint]

Bath was always my favourite run, back in the day.

could have shopped in the record shops there all day.

Well I did, actually.

[vibratoforever]

The shop I used to go to in Nottingham in the late 90s/early 00s had a listening room for customers. I believe it's still going but seems to have moved.

I spent a fortune in that shop but it has closed down. Unbelieveably there was a second independent retailer in Nottingham at that time and it is still going, though it has moved locations several times. I still go there and it is great to talk to an enthusiast. However like Harold Moores, you can go with the hope of buying a new release and find it hasn't arrived or has sold out! That doesn't happen at Amazon!

[Nick Armstrong]

I spent a fortune in that shop but it has closed down. Unbelieveably there was a second independent retailer in Nottingham at that time and it is still going, though it has moved locations several times.

Having grown up in N'ham, there was nothing in the late 70s when I needed it. Which ones have you in mind?

[vibratoforever]

Having grown up in N'ham, there was nothing in the late 70s when I needed it. Which ones have you in mind?

The shop (with the listening room) that has disappeared was on Angel Row, from the early nineties. The one that is still open is this www.classicalcd.co.uk which started on Heathcote St and is now on Goose Gate.

[teamsaint]

I spent a fortune in that shop but it has closed down. Unbelieveably there was a second independent retailer in Nottingham at that time and it is still going, though it has moved locations several times. I still go there and it is great to talk to an enthusiast. However like Harold Moores, you can go with the hope of buying a new release and find it hasn't arrived or has sold out! That doesn't happen at Amazon!

well, it rather depends. If Caliban is in Town.....

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?9777-Jeremy-Denk-on-Bach-s-Goldberg-Variations-BWV-988/page2

[Suffolkcoastal]

Prelude in Norwich seems to be still going strong. I do try and support them by buying discs every couple of months or so. Their strength is in that they also sell tickets for most of the major classical events in the Norwich area which brings extra custom in.

[MrGongGong]

Shops selling what is effectively 'niche' music are inevitably doomed on high streets
The smaller outfits (Harold Moores, Sister Ray, Rough Trade etc) might carry on for the 'nerds' amongst us
but given that most of us now buy music online whether as CD's or downloads there is no way that you are likely to 'stumble' on something interesting that you didn't know existed before. Its sad because I have fond memories of buying all sorts of things 'on spec' when they were knocked down ( Tower records 'getting rid of all vinyl' was a particularly rich seam ) butI guess that's what happens if you let finance rule everything.

[Sir Velo]

I feel we need nominations for the biggest classical store in the UK.

Amazon always seems to me to have a pretty wide selection.

[pastoralguy]

I happen to know that all is not well at Harold Moore's and the shops days may be numbered. I was there recently and I was told that there are problems with the landlord.

[amateur51]

I happen to know that all is not well at Harold Moore's and the shops days may be numbered. I was there recently and I was told that there's problems with the landlord.

Oh dear!

Mind, being so close to the HMV Oxford Street store that's closing down, perhaps HM should put in a bid, alongside Waterstones, Caffe Nero et al?

[Keraulophone]

The obituaries of many UK record shops can be found here:

http://www.britishrecordshoparchive.org/

One of my favourites for organ records was H & R Cloake of Croydon, RIP.

[Serial_Apologist]

I happen to know that all is not well at Harold Moore's and the shops days may be numbered. I was there recently and I was told that there are problems with the landlord.

Thanks for the possible alert PG - must get down (up) there quick!

[Beef Oven!]

Was at the closing down HMV shop on Thursday last week and told them that if 'EVERYTHING MUST GO', as all the shop signs and posters were proclaiming, then they might want to do something about the prices! bloody dear in there I thought, with no real bargains.

I was in the market for vinyl, so I paid a visit to the 'Flagship' shop down the road. £23 for most 180g bog standard rock pop releases (not that they had much). Amazingly, an album I actually wanted (Spirit Of Eden, Talk Talk) was priced incorrectly at £5.99 (they had 3 copies, the other 2 were £23), so I snapped it up.

BTW, the only classical vinyl the closing down shop had was a solitary sixty-odd quid Gunter Wand box-set! This it turns out was the 'classical vinyl section' that I had been directed to from upstairs!

Previously I'd been in Upper Street in a couple of 'famous' second-hand vinyl shops. The prices were eye-watering

[muzzer]

Are there any vinyl shops left in Upper St? My Rega is in the loft and has been for years - surface noise ruins vinyl for me. Different ears, eh. Though I'd like to think we all can tell how carp 128 bits sound.

Btw i have the Wand box on CD right now and it's great - remastered. Some of it shakes the floorboards, which is the highest comp I can pay anything.

PS Talk Talk - fantastic. I bloody hope he's making enough to live. V cruel business. Another convo, obv.