Spillers Records, Cardiff
World's oldest record store under threat
(Photos © urban75, January/August 2007)

"If you walk down Oxford Street, you do not see niche record stores among the chains. We warned Mr Todd [Spillers] that he is standing in the way of progress. The rent in their present location will at some point be unaffordable."
Michael Brown, Investment Director, Helical Bar (landowners)

Trading since 1894, Spillers can lay claim to being the world's oldest record shop, but is now being threatened by greedy landlords hiking up rent prices.

A long serving landmark for music fans in Cardiff, this no-frills record store played a huge part in my life. Here's where I bought my first punk rock record (and yes, I fear my first prog rock record some years previously too).

As Cardiff continues to be polished up with a corporate shine, much of the city's character and history is being erased.

Big name brands are taking over the independents, reducing Cardiff's shopping streets into another homogeneous Identikit town, devoid of character and spirit.



So, the fight for Spillers is an important one. So important, in fact, that half of the members of the Welsh assembly have put their names to a statement supporting the shop.

The Manic Street Preachers have also added to the calls for the shop to be saved by demanding that the rent be kept at a more realistic level.

An online petition has been created - sign it here: Save Spillers - and the next time you're in Cardiff, please buy your records at Spillers rather than at HMV or Virgin!













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