Jumbo Records on move to bigger Leeds shop as vinyl revival spins on

Jumbo Records in the St John's Centre, Leeds, is to move to the Merrion Centre. Shop manager Adam Gillison is pictured with new Rolling Stones album at the store...24th February 2017 ..Picture by Simon Hulme

Shop manager Adam Gillison said vinyl sales have increased by around 50 per cent and Jumbo Records wants a larger new unit to create a long-term home.

Jumbo Records first opened in Queens Arcade in Leeds in 1971 before moving to the Merrion Centre in 1974.

The business moved over the road to the newly-built St John’s Centre in 1988 and now shop staff are preparing to move back to a unit at The Merrion Centre on the corner of Merrion Street and Wade Street on March 29.

Jumbo Records in the St John's Centre, Leeds, is to move to the Merrion Centre. ..24th February 2017 ..Picture by Simon Hulme

Ten years ago, the future of record stores across the nation looked grim with the arrival of digital downloads as customers began to turn their backs on the High Street to buy their music online.

But Jumbo Records is among independent record stores benefiting from a vinyl revival.

Shop manager Adam Gillison, who has worked at Jumbo Records for 20 years, said: “This past two or three years it has been amazing with the number of people returning to vinyl or starting out with it for the first time.

“I would say we have seen around a 50 per cent increase in vinyl sales over the last few years. Mr Gillison added: “We will have more space in the new shop, allowing us to maintain more vinyl and CDs. We will also be serving coffee and will have somewhere for people to relax and listen to music in a space that doubles as a small stage for in-store appearances from bands.”