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On the record: Barbara and Chris Day have been selling vinyl records for 10 years

The owners of a Croydon record store are battling hi-tech innovations threatening to make their business a thing of the past.

With Selfridges in Oxford Street launching a new SpeedPod service which loads vinyl on to iPod music players, record shops may seem like a thing of the past, but that is not the case in Croydon.

For in a busy road in Addiscombe a shop containing thousands of vinyl records is bucking the state-of-the-art music technology trend.

Barbara and Chris Day have run Vinyl Resting Place in Shirley Road for more than a decade. What started out as a plan to open a party shop with a jukebox soon changed when they found their record collection just "took over".

"We both wanted a shop and we both loved music. We had a lot of records and were almost obsessed with boot fairs and their collections," Barbara explained.

Husband Chris added: "We didn't realise how many vinyl collectors there are in Croydon. They want to keep the vinyl going."

Neither Chris nor Barbara own an iPod themselves, instead preferring the crackling sound and tradition of vinyl music. "If it was possible I think I would still use a quill and ink," Barbara laughed.

Sadly, it is not just the likes of the iPod that can have an affect on their business. Internet shop eBay has also had an impact.

"We've got our fingers crossed that eBay will reach a peak and they'll get bored of it," said Barbara.

The pair believe buying online cannot match up to going into a shop like theirs and sifting through thousands of records.

Chris added: "It's like going back in time. We can offer them a service because we sell records from the 1920s up to the present day."

And the range they have to offer is second to none. From military classical hymns to Beatles records and an impressive collection of Eurovision hits, there is little the shop cannot offer.

And if they do not have what you need, they'll take your contact details and call you back even if it is several years later.

"We've got some really great people who come in," said Barbara, with Chris adding: "Some just come for a chat."

It would be hard for any superstore or online shop to match the service the Days' offer allowing people to spend a whole day there, making customers cups of coffee and even closing if people wish to browse privately.

Despite the occasional tears when they help customers pick out funeral music, the atmosphere in the shop is never short of humour with people coming in humming melodies because they do not know the name of an artist of track.

"We do have a lot of laughs here. It's the love of our life. I love seeing the smile on people's faces when they find something they like," said Barbara.

Chris added: "I love the shop, I love coming to work."

Although sales are down this year, instead of resting on their laurels, the Days are eager to fight back. They have launched a sale with 25 per cent off all vinyl and 50 per cent off CDs, DVDs, videos and 12 inch singles.

So do they think the SpeedPod will take off?

"I think it will last a year," said Chris, "iPods will make a lot of sales but vinyl is still here to stay for a very long time."

For more information go to www.thevinylrestingplace.co.uk.

9:54am Wednesday 29th March 2006

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