LPs in Sainsbury's

[Barry]

My local HMV has now started to sell 180g vinyl. Had a quick look, all claim to be remastered, the sleeves seem to be thicker than original, and depending on the title, sell for £15 - £25.

[Spectral Morn]

That's not good.Any independent record shop should really know better.

You would think. I applied for a job at Head in Belfast, replying to an advertisement, no reply nothing. They sell Crosely crap and Rega and some Project gear. I guess I am too old. They decided to employ teenagers, mostly girls who haven't a clue.

I included info in the application re my specialist experience, setting up turntables etc - silence was my reward. I still shop there, but the quality of advice I have heard re record care and turntables, poor, very poor.

[Macca]

Was in the town so went into Sainsbury's to see the vinyl revival for myself.

Nothing in there, even though 'Stoke' is on the list of stores

I think they must have meant one of the other Sainsbury's. Oh well.

[Marco]

That's weird... Is there more than one branch in Stoke?

Did you also check with staff, in case you missed it? In the Irvine branch Snapper and I went to, the promotional display unit (filled with LPs) was right at the entrance to the store - not where you'd have expected it to be, next to the DVDs, etc....

Marco.

[Macca]

I think the confusion results from the oddness of Stoke

There is Stoke-On-Trent which comprises the Six Towns of Hanley, Burslem, Fenton, Longton, Tunstall and Stoke Upon Trent.

My Sainsbury's is in Stoke Upon Trent which is not the same as Stoke-On-Trent although it is part of it.

The Sainsbury's that must have the vinyl is in Etruria which, although not one of the six towns, is also in Stoke-On-Trent, but is some distance away from Stoke Upon Trent.

This often confuses visitors who arrive in Stoke Upon Trent thinking it is the 'city centre' and wonder how a city of 250 thousand people copes with a just a handful of betting and charity shops and a Bargain Buys; when the city centre is, of course, actually in Hanley.

[Marco]

Jeez... Confused? Well, tune in again next week!

Marco.

[Macca]

It's a great place to live if you are interested in Georgian and Victorian industrial architecture. Especially now the idiots have finally stopped pulling it all down.

[surv1v0r]

According to Sainsbury’s head of music and books “We don’t see this as a novelty gifting fad but a complimentary part of our existing music offer with a long term future in our stores. Vinyl is definitely experiencing a revival with demand growing stronger year on year. It is our aim to make the vinyl experience easy and pleasurable for our customers who are ready to re-engage with a format that resonates with them on an emotional level.”

I have noticed that the LP display in my local branch has emptied out fairly rapidly and has been restocked but only with the same limited range.

[surv1v0r]

Vinyl sales grew for the eighth consecutive year in 2015 with more than 2m LPs sold in the UK, the most since at least 1994 when Wet Wet Wet and Bon Jovi were among the year’s biggest artists.

The BPI, the record labels’ association that promotes British music, said the surge in popularity of British music was not being matched by proceeds from advertising-funded streaming websites such as YouTube. (LINK)

Who buys all this vinyl? Do many of the purchasers actually own a turntable? Are they just after the "image"?

I have to say it, that figure of two million LPs sold does seem bloody odd

[spm]

I've noticed that the range of vinyl in my local Sainsburys has been steadily expanding although still not massive. They slip in the odd Sainsburys exclusive now and then which tend to be limited edition colour vinyl. Just picked up Small Faces Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake on red vinyl for £20 and Zombies Odessey & Oracle Half Speed Master on orange vinyl for £18. Can't play them at the moment though as turntable packed away for house move.