A must visit Record Shop In Banbury

 Strummer Room Records

 F159 Cherwell Business Village, Southam Road, Banbury, OX16 2SP
Tel: 01295 262202

 

Strummer Room Records is Banbury’s ONLY Independent Record Shop, located is an old Aluminium Works Laboratory on the outskirts of the town. The Strummer Room was set up as a music-related project by Chris Oakes in 2012. The Strummer Room hosted live gigs in and around Oxford and was instrumental in running a village festival featuring 27 bands. The Strummer Room was also the title of a radio show hosted by Chris, promoting local independent bands and musicians.


https://www.mixcloud.com/discover/the-strummer-room-project/


In 2018, Chris rented a space in a Banbury antiques emporium to sell off his extensive vinyl record collection. Due to its success, Chris decided to purchase more records via auctions and from people selling off their personal collections, very soon outgrowing the small space.
He moved the stock to a “pop-up” shop just up the road in February 2020, just before the first lock-down and Strummer Room Records was born, mainly specialising in second-hand vinyl & CDs. Chris starred in a short film while housed in this shop. He played a record shop owner under attack by a plague of Zombies. “Banbury Zombie Apocalypse” can be viewed on the Strummer Room Records website: 

https://www.strummerroom.com/blogs/news/banbury-zombie-apocalypse-strummer-room-records
During both lockdowns, Chris has focussed on expanding the various online platforms to maintain the income originally generated from walk-in business.

 The story of lockdown and the growth in online sales was documented in an article in the Banbury Guardian: https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/business

/banbury-records-shop-sees-online-sales-more-double-first-lockdown-3026181


The pop-up shop only had a short lease, so in November 2020, Strummer Room Records moved to its current home in Cherwell Business Village.


Chris said “Our shop is a little unusual as it is situated on the first floor of a building that was originally an Aluminium Works Laboratory, so when we are able to re-open again on 12th April, our customers will need to use the doorbell at the main entrance so that we are able to let them in. We operate an appointment system while still under Covid restrictions, so ask our customers to use our online booking system. Alternatively, they can phone or send us a message”.
“During the period that Strummer Room Records has been at Cherwell Business Village, I have dramatically changed the business model and opened accounts with a selection of record labels and distributers. Strummer Room Records are now focussing on brand new vinyl records, classic re-issues, and forthcoming new releases that customers can pre-order via our website and other online platforms. We have also kept a large selection of second-hand stock to ensure that our record buying customers have a great choice”.
“We are incredibly pleased to have been invited to take part in Record Store Day 2021 and looking forward to this year’s Drops on 12th June and 17th July and it is also great to be selling and accepting Record Tokens. “


 


 


Strummer Room Records was awarded “Record Store of the Month” by the Record Token team for March 2021 for their active social media profile and diverse range of new & second-hand vinyl records, CDs, DVDs and music-related books


www.strummerroom.com
All social media links can be found at www.linktr.ee/strummerroomrecords 


 


The books of Graham Jones are available in record shops or online. The latest book The Vinyl Revival and the Shops that Made it Happen has been turned in to a film. It has just been released on DVD and is available in record shops or online. Distributed by Proper Music.

Each week I record The Vinyl Revival Record Shop Podcast. It contains lots of funny tales from the crazy world of record retailing. It is also available on Spotify.

Twitter: @Revival_Vinyl

My blog has over 100 features on record shops and vinyl.

grahamjonesvinylrevival.blogspot.com

For film screenings and talks contact Graham.  


 


As the person who has visited more record shops than any other human, I often get asked my advice on buying turntables. I always say do not purchase a budget model. What is the point of buying one that costs the price of a few albums? The sound will not do the recordings justice. For a long time, I have recommended Rega Turntables as they are superb quality at great prices. They got more brownie points for sponsoring 'Record Store Day' and manufacturing limited editions just for record shops. 

 

 

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