UK | Record stores celebrate reopening as UK lockdown restrictions ease: “Come for an unvirtual browse and an undigital chat!” Record stores across the UK have reopened for in-person trading this morning (April 12) as a number of coronavirus-enforced restrictions have been lifted. Non-essential businesses in England can reopen today as part of the third phase of easing lockdown restrictions, which came into force on January 6. In addition, Northern Ireland’s “stay-at-home” order has ended, while further measures have been relaxed in Scotland and Wales. A number of record shops across England and the UK have resumed in-person trading today, with the likes of Leeds’ Crash Records, Manchester’s Piccadilly Records and London’s Sister Ray Records all celebrating the significant development on social media. Tim Burgess’ ‘Twitter Listening Parties’ website has an interactive list of independent record stores in the UK which you can check out here.
Nottingham, UK | Nottingham city centre store owners ‘overwhelmed’ by huge numbers as shops reopen: “We were not expecting to see it this busy.” Nottingham’s independent stores were busy today with shoppers returning to the city centre’s high streets. Queues were seen outside Zara, Primark, H&M and New Look by Nottinghamshire Live reporters this morning (April 12). Many of those shoppers chose to frequent the city’s independent stores to support their favourite Nottingham brands. Business owners said they were overwhelmed by the turnout, and did not expect to see so many customers entering their stores on a Monday. They said they were preparing for the upcoming weekend, but were taken by surprise on the first day non-essential shops officially reopened. Popular Lace Market book and record store Rough Trade is one place that has finally opened its doors after a long wait. Shop supervisor Sophie Diver, 30, said: “It’s nice to be back – people are so excited to come into the store and have a browse. “We were relying on artists to keep releasing music during the pandemic and we had a few ordering online.
Cornwall, UK | Shops, pubs, restaurants, gyms and more reopen across Cornwall: Pubs, shops, hairdressers, gyms and non-essential shops are reopening in Cornwall as lockdown measures are eased in England today, Monday, April 12 Outdoor attractions and public buildings now reopen, funerals can continue with up to 30 attendees and weddings can have up to 15 attendees. Most hospitality and leisure venues have been closed since the country was plunged into a third national lockdown on January 6, and business owners and staff are thrilled to get back to work, while customers are chomping at the bit to get back to the pub or get a haircut. Among the most popular businesses opening today are expected to be hairdressers and barbers with everyone desperate for a haircut! Among those reopening will be the Chapel Street Boutique in Chapel Street, Camborne, a Cornish family run business stocking many exciting brands in Camborne. They told the Packet: “We have many years experience in the fashion and accessory retail business and look forward to welcoming everyone.”
UK | ERA’s Kim Bayley on the return of music retail: Despite multiple lockdowns, record shops have kept physical music alive during the pandemic as they switched to new trading models, including collection and online orders. April 12 is the key date in the calendar for the return of non-essential retail, though social distancing and other safety measures continue to be in place. It means indie retailers and HMV can open their doors once again, although the prospect on an in-store gig is still some way off based on government guidelines. Record Store Day is set to return for its first drop on June 12. It follows a continuing vinyl boom and speculation that the format has been more widely adopted during the pandemic as fans were unable to spend money on gigs. Here, Kim Bayley, CEO of ERA, looks at how the return of retail could deliver another boost to music sales…
Falmouth, UK | Businesses in Falmouth react to being allowed to reopen: …Martin Seviour, who owns Sounds OK record store, has been doing everything he can in preparation of reopening his small yet packed-out shop to the public. Martin said: “I was here all last week getting this place ready. “Obviously I’ve been making the shop Covid-safe, dusting, making sure everything was cleaned down, touching everything up and making sure I’ve got the hand gel, paper towels, gloves if people want them. “I then painted the outside of the shop to make sure it was looking nice and crisp and clean, which it is, and I’ve got arrows on the floor to direct people around a certain way. “I’m also only allowing four people in at a time. “That’s what I’ve been doing so I’m here to say ‘bring it on!'” “I think it’ll be a slow build, I’m not expecting great miracles today, being the first day opening. “I think with shops people have got to build their trust up again.”
Record Reverie: The Resurgence of Vinyl Culture in the 21st Century: At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the music industry was shaken. Live performances were canceled, bands were torn apart by financial pressures, and the future of the industry was as uncertain as the release date of Kanye’s next album. Ingenuity in both music and business was a must for anyone looking to stay afloat. Aaron Zimmer, owner of Leesta Vall Sound Recordings in Brooklyn, knows this firsthand. Leesta Vall was the brainchild of Zimmer, an ex-tour musician who became an extraordinary vinyl lathe cutter. After years of improving his turntable cutting or instant record making skills, Zimmer launched Leesta Vall to capitalize on his new skills. The vinyl-only niche label is known for its unique direct-to-vinyl program that allows artists and bands to record live performances that are then cut directly onto vinyl. This concept was inspired by the now obsolete Voice-O-Graph devices of the 1940s that allowed a person to walk into a booth, pay pennies and record directly on a vinyl record. Zimmer decided that he wanted to emulate a process similar to the Voice-O-Graph, but with much higher sound quality…
