Tell us a little bit about your store? What's the vibe?

It’s a real community place, which attracts people of all ages due to the broad selection of vinyl we stock. Because we’re situated within a huge Georgian building, (the last remaining Georgian cloth hall in the UK), we have a constant flow of footfall, in addition to our regular customers to the shop.  
I also stock a variety of music related artwork, showcasing seminal bands and albums. This adds to the atmosphere and surroundings of Loafers and helps connect everyone’s love of music. We’ve built up a great customer base and there are people I see for coffee and records every week. These people have become good friends and when we host vinyl evenings, poetry, live music and coffee tasting, the space is always filled with my regulars who have become now part of the Loafers community. 
It’s amazing that we’ve grown so quickly as a business and acquired such a brilliant and loyal customer base. I have loads of favourite customers but George Stubbs will always be the most memorable. He was an 83-year-old man with no family as his wife had passed several years ago. George came into Loafers every Tuesday for coffee. We would play Simon & Garfunkel for him on the turntable. He became such a good friend we invited him for Christmas dinner with all our family last year. He was famous within the Piece Hall and is the coolest old man around! He sadly passed away in February but in his memory, we raised money for Age UK by selling mugs with his image on. So far, we’ve raised £700.

Can you remember the first record you sold in the shop? And the last?

The first record I sold was Homework by Daft Punk and the last was Simple Things by Zero 7, I love that album. The most memorable was probably Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. A lady queued for the album for 20 minutes on opening day. I recalled the story to Lloyd Webber himself when he visited the shop last October. He was really amused he still had the selling power!

Do you remember the first record shop you went to? And you do you remember the first record you bought?

My first visit to a record shop was Jumbo in Leeds as a kid where I bought Monster by REM. I loved that the place was just stacked with records and full of people with diverse musical taste. Flicking through my dad’s records as a child also formed my love of vinyl. Initially it was the artwork of The Eagles, ELO and Fleetwood Mac but once the needle hit the record that was it. I was totally fascinated with the sound, the crackles and the experience!

What is your favourite record shop (apart from your own!) and why?

I love Muse Music in Hebden Bridge, which is just down the road from Halifax and Trump Records in NYC is amazing. I had a great afternoon there back in 2004. I was literally snowed in as it was minus 30 degrees outside so kept warm in the record shop.

What’s your most memorable record store experience?

As above and of course, opening my own and watching the last year unfold as a huge success with one of my favourite bands, Merrymaker, playing live in the shop on our 1st birthday celebration.

What's the best gig you've ever been to?

Ocean Colour Scene in Madrid 2016.

What's your all-time favourite book?

Manhunter by Thomas Harris

What's your all-time favourite film?

The Empire Strikes Back Star Wars

What would make up your desert island discs?

Rubber Soul – Beatles
Moon Safari – Air
Be Here Now – Oasis
Marchin Already – Ocean Colour Scene
Mirror Conspiracy – Thievery Corporation
Stanley Road – Paul Weller
Cold Fact - Rodriguez

Who would form your all-time Festival line-up? (past & present)

The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Rodriguez, Oasis, Daft Punk, Faithless and Pink Floyd

What's your all-time favourite record?

Moseley Shoals – Ocean Colour Scene

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