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HMV closure in Aylesbury signals end of an era for the humble compact disc
THE full effects of the download generation will now be felt heavily as Aylesbury town centre’s only shop selling a broad selection of new CDs is waving goodbye to the town.
HMV, based in Friars Square shopping centre, is set to close it doors on Saturday, February 11 after having been based in Aylesbury since 1993.
The closure is part of the HMV group’s move to shut down 35 stores across the country where it is felt the stores are not financially viable.
Aylesbury-born musician John Otway, 59, says the news signals the end of an era.
“It’s terribly sad,” he said.
“The town will suffer – it’s the demise of a culture.
“I understand a lot of the market is now online, but there’s something far more healthy about going out and browsing music shops than buying online. Besides, a lot of people my age still depend on their CD collections – it’s very sad news.
“It’s particularly sad for me, as they ran an event for me when I released my last two albums.”
While the closure of the Aylesbury store forms part of a bigger plan to close several UK stores, it will be the only shop in the region to be shut down.
A HMV spokesman said: “We’re really sorry to be closing our store in Friars Square.
“This is not a decision we’ve taken lightly and doesn’t in any way reflect on the fantastic work colleagues that we have there.
“We are working hard to relocate our Aylesbury staff to other stores in the region.
“We would also like to point out that our decision does not in any way reflect on our regular customers who we would like to thank most sincerely for their valued support over the past years.
“We shall be looking forward to perhaps seeing our Aylesbury customers at nearby HMV stores or online at hmv.com.
“Nine members of staff are currently in employment at the Friars Square store, all of whom are currently in consultation.
It is believed that the store, once vacated by HMV, may also form part of Friars Square latest store H&M.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 17 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
wombleulike
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 05:07 PMit was interesting to read the statement HMV released for a store closure in Cheshire (you may wish to read the one from this article again first) âWeâre very sorry to be closing our outlet in Cheshire Oaks, which is not a decision weâve taken lightly and certainly doesnât in any way reflect on the fantastic work colleagues we have there, who we are looking to relocate to other stores in the region where at all possible, or indeed on our regular customers, who weâd like to thank for their valued support over the past eight years.â probably sums how much they really value their workforce that they couldn't muster something up even slightly personal
QualityMullet
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 01:38 PMFriars Square is pretty depressing. What ever happened to the plans to replace the fountain etc with store space? Anyway, Aylesbury's always going to find it hard because large shopping centres at MK, HW, Watford, Oxford are all a short car journey away. Why would big retailers feel the need to remain in or come to Aylesbury (Gawd-knows what H+M is up to)? Independent retailers can't afford the rates in dedicated shopping centres like Friar's Square or Hale Leys. So catch-22 really.
sebo
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 10:19 PMIt didn't take long - in fact to the end of the article about HMV...'May also form part of Friar Sqaure's latest store H & M'. When will this rediculous council's stupid love affair with this retailer end? Why not just hike the rent & rates for the rest of the stores, force them out and let H & M take the whole shooting match over?!! Apart from Game (and I wonder how long that will survive) and Ernest Jones I have no need to ever visit Friars Square again. Oh, and as I have a bus pass I don't even need to use the car park and it's exhorbitant charges.
Chelsealyn
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 12:30 PMI have no idea how to down load I always buy CDs . So from now on it will have to be amazon. I do hope we dont get another shop selling junk moving into the shopping centre.
Ronin
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 01:09 AMDifficult for retail shops to survive, esp as they have to pay over priced rent, high business rates, and the customers dont want to pay the high car park charges.... the list goes on. If these issues are not addressed and left uncorrected it seems that things will go from bad to worse (hope im wrong though, dont want to live in a ghost town). Its a vicious cycle because the more shops that close down will cause a knock on effect with lower foot fall resulting in even more shops struggling to survive and poss have to shut up shop, not good. :-(
Ronin
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 12:37 AMTBF, Thanks for posting the link, was great to watch it, trip down memory lane ;-) ----- As for the forward slash, as mentioned by JR only the back slash seems to work on this Backwards Herald site!
JR
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 12:22 AMTBF, you need to use the backslash http:\\www.britishpathe.com\video\bill-grundy-looks-at-aylesbury As for the products on offer in HMV, I was given an HMV giftcard & went in to buy a couple of DVDs after checking them out online - you can't use a HMV gift card online, only instore - where the prices are unbelievably hiked, so instead of buying the DVDs I wanted, I ended up giving the card away. Hardly surprised that the hmv group feels its stores aren't financially viable when they charge way more than their own website.
ToBeFair
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 09:41 PMThe Video is here on Aylesbury in 1972. Great to watch. When I posted the link it keeps missing out the forward slash after .com http:www.britishpathe.comvideobill-grundy-looks-at-aylesbury
ToBeFair
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 09:38 PMWho was first to close? I believe it was EARTH RECORDS who where in Friars Square, then Harelquin Records also in Friars Square, then it was Our Price also in Friars Square, next up Woolworths in Friars Square the old site! then it was Boots who shut their music dept in Hale Leys, Oven Ready Records was next in Kingsbury, next to close was RECORD HOUSE in Aylesbury High Street who had opened in 1976....and now HMV in February this year. NOW WE HAVE NONE! The only places left are Tesco, Morrisons, and cetex second hand shop in the High Street, oh and the Charity shops. Take a look at this video of Aylesbury back in 1972, the good old days, the market packed out!, loads of shoppers, Friars Square very busy, dated but NO shops were empty then! http:www.britishpathe.comvideobill-grundy-looks-at-aylesbury
soapyuk
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 06:22 PMi wonder....overpriced rents to blame aylesbury is becoming a ghost town lets stop trying to be something we are not reduce the rent and bring back the local shops to compete with the big brands instead of trying to compete with the likes of wycombe , hemel etc a market town...as it was in the 80's and if that dont work i am sure the council will give the green light for another supermarket nudge nudge wink wink..
GOWEST
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 04:48 PMPaul .... I had almost forgotten about that excellent shop. I can't see a return to Aylesbury of that sort of specialist shop. I agree with some of the other comments; the town is in a bad way, but the Councillors in their village ivory towers and who don't shop here anyway ....just don't get it.
Paul Kersey
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 04:40 PMTime for an Oven Ready Records comeback?
KayL
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 01:53 PMso, basically all of our shops in Aylesbury are shutting and we will be left with an empty shopping centre? La Senza - shut, Madhouse - has closing down signs (although it happens a lot and they come back with a new refurblished store) Now HMV - going, 2 shops next to 3 mobile - shut, shop next to Wallis - empty, Peacocks - shutting. May as well shut the whole shopping centre as soon the whole thing will be sat empty with signs for those 'interested' but nobdy can afford the prices they want to let their shops out for!
Very Opinionated
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 01:50 PMI can't say I'm surprised at this. The stock levels are extremely poor and the selection and choice isn't available. Prior to Christmas I was looking for a stand up comedy dvd. Their selection was very small and cramped and had hundreds of one dvd and virtually none of any other. Considering that stand up comedy is the best Christmas dvd seller, this was extremely poor. When I approached a member of staff to see if they had my dvd of choice (I thought that it might be stocked somewhere else in store considering that items are displayed all over the place in nonsensical places without clear signage). The sales assistant told me âit will be in the comedy sectionâ and went to walk off. I pressed her further and asked her if she would mind checking the availability on the computer system. She said she wasn't allowed to. With poor service and poor choice, no wonder stores like this are on the decline!
Kerr Lunge
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 01:34 PMJR, Tesco et al do indeed sell CDs.. however, the statement made was "....Aylesbury town centre’s only shop selling a broad selection".. They had a lot more than the Top 40esque CDs that you can find in the supermarkets.
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