TWO Cinderford vinyl record shops took part in Record Store Day on Saturday (April 22) with crowds queueing for more than two hours before opening to get their hands on limited editions by their favourite bands.

Forest Vinyl, which sells second-hand and new records, and Ceritech Audio, which sells a range of new vinyl are both located in the same building in the town.

Owner of Forest Vinyl, Steve Helsdown, said: “We were told by Proper Records distributer and author Graham Jones, that Cinderford is the smallest town in the UK with two record shops. Only four shops in Gloucestershire took part in Record Store Day this year and two of them were here.

“This is the third year we’ve taken part in the event, which aims to raise the profile of vinyl and of the mainly independent record stores that stock it. We opened at 9am and people were already queueing at 6.45 that morning. By the time we opened, 50 people were waiting on the doorstep of our shops.

“Record companies produce limited editions for the event and this year we had a handmade wooden record by Wild Willy Barrett, who had a hit with Really Free in the 1970s with John Otway and lots of coloured vinyl. We had Maximo Park’s latest release on clear vinyl with red and yellow splashes. It was beautiful.

“We also gave away Fred Perry tote bags, personalised with our store name, to the first 20 customers through the door. It was great that most people who came were our regulars, but we saw a few new faces too.

“When Record Store Day began in the US in 2008 and came to the UK soon afterwards, it was a way of bringing attention to the fact that record stores were closing at a rate of knots. Record stores are now on the increase and the event is a real celebration of them and of music.”