The owner of one of London’s most famous record stores has advertised his entire business for sale on eBay, with the asking price of £300,000 including the shop’s vast collection of thousands of vinyl records .
Opened by Tim Derbyshire in 1979, On The Beat Records has been selling singles and albums from Hanway Street, off Tottenham Court Road, for nearly 35 years, but has now decided that it’s time to, “step down and let another passionate music lover take over.”
The eBay sale ends at 18:45 on the 25th November, 2013, so get in quick if you want to own your very own Soho record store.
The full text of the eBay advert (which includes my picture!) is reproduced below.
A unique and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live the “High Fidelity” life!
Live your dream and enter a rock’n’roll lifestyle – your chance to run a record shop!
If you’re at the stage in your life when you don’t have to worry about making money but can live the bohemian life, meet interesting people every day and the occasional pop or rock star, here’s your chance to take over the oldest record shop in the centre of Swinging London.
It’s been there for five decades, right in Soho and just around the corner from Tin Pan Alley. A vinyl treasure trove with a pulsing, groovin’ history steeped in its very walls. You can make history and take it over! Without someone buying it, it will disappear. If you’re mad about music, love vinyl and want to keep the dream alive, here’s your chance to take on an Aladdin’s Cave of musical gems.
I’ve given it my heart and soul for all these years but it’s time for me to step down and let another passionate music lover take over.
Make your dreams come true, have a lifestyle change!
The Beat must go on. Keep my dream alive!
More info:
EBay listing.
Photo feature: On The Beat Records, 22 Hanway Street, London W1 – a great old record store
Official site: On the Beat Records,
Read more about Hanway Street here.
On The Beat records
22 Hanway Street, Bloomsbury
London, W1T 1UQ
020 7637 8934
Map here: http://goo.gl/maps/y2a7p