Looks like HMV in the UK may survive after all...

Lol...sorry.... where is it?

 

Manchester had the worst, many people I know who visited the centre regularly didn't even know it was there. Sad to see it go but hopefully it will help Piccadilly and Vinyl Exchange survive societies changing habits.

 

Big place! I'll look its location up

Assuming FOPP does music as well as video?

 

Biggish.
Three floors.

The original HMV was enormous in comparison,again. Three floors.

 

Yes, this was the reason that was given. The shops with the highest business rates were the ones to go because they were no longer viable, which explains the Oxford Street closure.

 

The old HMV was massive. I too remember that lovely calm in the closed off Classical section.

 

Mine's staying open, Bury Lancs.

 

In the eighties/nineties Virgin Mega Store/Tower Records was my preferred choice.

 

Heh...remember when Virgin was that little walk-up? One or two rooms iirc.

Fun times.

 

Wow. Didn’t know the Broadmead branch was still running. That’s been around for years. I’ve since left the area and gradually they have all shut down (east Berkshire).

 

My present local, High Wycombe remains but my future local, Plymouth is to close. I'm a bit gutted they there'll be no HMV when I move back down that way but hopefully it'll encourage more small independents to open.

 

The Reading one has closed. A real shame as it was pretty decent. That’s none left in my area now. Reading gone, Bracknell went 4 years ago, so did Camberley.

 

Your nearest will be Truro. Quite a trek.

 

It's on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Earlham Street. It's okay and I always drop in there when I'm in London but although it's got three floors it's still quite small and can get really cramped when it gets busy - always preferred the Manchester shop which had a lot more space to move around in, but now that's gone. As regards the music selection these days I'm always a little disappointed when I go in, essentially the same stock as HMV at the same prices (well, actually 1p more expensive as prices are rounded up). They used to do loads of cheap CDs at £3 and £5 and the choice used to change regularly, there was something worth getting every time you went in but these days the numbers are much reduced and the selection never changes. It was great when it was independent and even after HMV bailed them out it was still decent but since Hilco took over the difference between it and HMV has narrowed considerably. It has more of the feel of an indie shop than HMV but at the end of the day it's essentially just another HMV with better decor.

 

I think the one you are referring to closed years ago, opposite M&S between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road

The one that is about to close is on the original site, near Bond Street

 

Which is a good thing!

 

Pleased that HMV Banbury was spared, nice bunch in there, shame Fopp Oxford has gone, it'd be a killer rent there though. Also nice that Fopp Edinburgh is still there, I like that store. As far as the chain goes that's not a bad outcome really and being bought by a guy that actually likes music is a good thing.

 

It's changed location a number of times. Now opposite were I remember it in the 80s.

 

Good news that HMV has been saved, and even better that Ashley didn't get his grubby hands on them. It will be interesting to see how it goes - I'm still not entirely convinced that Sunrise will last long term in Canada, never mind in another country. Their business model is very similar to the old HMVs (without carrying the debt, though, which may prove significant) - they sell much the same stuff (DVDs, Blu-Ray, CDs, games, Funko etc) but have a bigger record section and band shirt selection than HMV did. It's a big gamble on the continued popularity of records, as the DVD and CD market is dwindling and so many other places sell the Funko, games and novelty stuff. It's a pity that more Fopp's couldn't be saved - I always liked browsing in the Rose Street, Edinburgh one, happy to see that one was spared.

 

Indeed it was...'swhy I called it the old HMV

 

Very sad to see the Fopp on Byres Road closing. On a good day you could buy your Blue Nile cd and get it signed by Paul Buchanan on the way out. It’s been a crucial part of Glasgow’s westend for decades and the street will be a lot poorer for its loss. I guess that’s hard to see though when you’re sitting in an office in Canada.
No doubt a coffee house or some such will pick up the high rent but for a lot of people the one reason for visiting the street in the first place is now gone.

 

I visited Fopp in London recently and was impressed by their stock and friendly staff.

 

As far as I know the branch in Lancaster is my nearest record / CD shop. It is good that it is surviving. It's in the St Nicholas Arcade, I think on the same site occupied at one time by Andy's Records. Just off a pedestrian precinct with heavy footfall.

Sadly the days of going into World Of Music in Hamburg and coming out with 25 CDs or going into Goldmine in Manchester and coming out with a dozen are long behind.

Noticing how Argos seems to be setting itself up in Sainsbury's supermarkets, I wonder if HMV might have a stronger chance of survival if it set itself up inside Asda or Tesco?

 

Two out of my three local (-ish) stores are going - Manchester Trafford Centre and Southport, if I'm not mistaken Wigan is staying open. Oh well, pity really...

 

Glad to see that the ones I go to regularly will stay opened: Maidstone, Bournemouth, etc...