Silver Jubilee For Ben’s Record Shop Full Of Golden Oldies!

Published on: 5 Nov, 2018
Updated on: 5 Nov, 2018

Ben’s Collectors Records in Tunsgate is celebrating its 25th anniversary – no mean feat for an independent trader in Guildford!

Ben Darnton outside his Tunsgate shop.

However, the past year has been an extremely difficult one for owner Ben Darnton. He admits his trade was down some £42,000, due solely to the disruption caused by the prolonged work on the revamped and now renamed Tunsgate Quarter shopping centre and the resurfacing work on Tunsgate itself. He says it all contributed to a huge decline in footfall to his shop, with his fellow traders also having a tough time.

Ben is a shining example of a local shopkeeper. Anyone who buys used records and CDs from him, or sells to him, knows that he is always friendly, enthusiastic, has a great sense of humour and knows his trade inside out.

Ben Darnton with top American blues guitarist Robert Cray who was in Guildford recently.

The Guildford Dragon NEWS asked him a few questions about him and his business.

Q: What has been the most enjoyable record you have taken possession of?

A: “Probably a first pressing of a rare jazz LP by the late Joe Harriot.

“It’s a very rare 1969 LP on the Columbia label and is called Hum Dono, which means We too in Hindi, apparently. It’s a duet with an Indian jazz guitarist called Amancio D’Silva with a jazz group backing.

“I had to pay good money for it and the owner from Weybridge kept me waiting for years before selling it to me. Amazingly, another copy came in on the same day. I’ve never seen a another copy since!

“I had the best copy of the LP transferred on to CD before I sold them both, and one day I played it in the shop. An Indian chap who was browsing said: ‘Hey is this Amancio D’Silva playing?’ I said ‘yes!’ He replied: ‘He is my Father!’

Q: Which record has earned you the most?

A: “The most I have ever achieved for a LP here in the last 25 years is £3,500 for a mint condition stereo copy of the Beatles debut album Please Please Me.”

Q: Is there a rare record you would like to find?

A: “I would like to unearth an unreleased song on a studio acetate by a popular band such as Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin, as it would get me some publicity! Also, sometimes I get rare white label records from record company people from the golden era of rock.

Q: What records are selling well at present and are you after buying any particular styles of music or types of bands?

A: “Records from the 1960s to the 90s are selling well, such as punk, reggae, rock, soul and blues. The main artists are the Beatles, the Who, the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd, but all records sell quite well at present.

Q: How is business since the building work in Tunsgate has been completed?

A: “Business has picked up thankfully since the Tunsgate Quarter has reopened, although some more shops in the numerous still empty units would be nice.

“I like the new road with the seats but I preferred it as it was when my customers could pull up outside my shop easily to load and unload records.

“The gate has caused some upset with numerous hapless customers and delivery vans being locked in – sometimes for hours.

“The new shopping centre lacks a central focus such as the Continental Cafe that used to be in there. Folks met in there for coffee, etc, then shopped. At present there’s not enough to keep customers in there too long.

“I really feel Tunsgate Quarter missed a trick by not having a retail outlet along the lines of Gunwharf Keys in Portsmouth where the high end brands offer a small discount on posh brands. Think how many cars would park at the nearby car parks. But with Debenhams and House of Fraser in trouble it might still happen – let’s see!

“I was £42,000 down last year on the previous year due to the building works, but the Valuation Agency did not give us a bean off our rates due to street works running six months late. They even said that if we did apply for a rebate they would put the rates up as it looked so nice! Even MP Anne Milton couldn’t believe it.”

Getting Ben’s shop ready for its opening in November 1993.

Ben Darnton has been going through his archive of pictures and has found these that show work getting the shop ready and the opening day itself in November 1993.

Ready for the stock to be added.

Back then Ben already had his first shop in Farnham. He continued that for another 12 years, but was obviously keen to open in Guildford having previously worked in the Collectors Record Centre shop in Woodbridge Road.

On the opening day there was live music hard rock band Little Angels. They were a successful band in their own right with four best selling albums.

Mayhem on the first day! The shop is packed and Ben’s trying to answer the phone!

As we’ve said before on the Dragon, Ben specialises in the sale of second-hand vinyl records, CDs and DVDs for either the serious collector, the enthusiast, or for the more casual browser. It’s a veritable bargain basement with a mind-blowing host of undiscovered treasurers.

They can’t get enough on the opening day.

Always in stock at any given time are 13,000 vinyl LPs and CDs, 5,000 singles, and 1,000 DVDs, in all music styles – everything in fact, from Sibelius to the Sex Pistols.

Time for a chat?

Note the original shop sign in this picture taken on the opening day 25 years ago.

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