Ben's Collectors Records
5 Tunsgate, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 3QT
The aroma of vinyl is heavy in the air at this specialist secondhand store, and the needle is on a record from the time the doors open until they close. That the shop is as busy as its walls - which are absolutely splattered with covers, posters and discs - is testament to the personality behind it all. Ben is first and foremost a music fan. He is also a collector, an uber enthusiast and something of a musician as well. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the tunes he stocks - an eclectic collection that sprawls across rock, blues, jazz, classical, opera - and will talk to anyone about any genre of music at any time. This is a place where serendipity plays as much of a role in what you buy as any preconceived idea of what you were looking for in the first place. Don't come in here if you're in a rush - come in when you've got time to lose yourself in an exploration of the bargain basement, where all manner of hidden treasures can be found. A record cleaning service is also available in the shop, and CDs are sold as well as vinyl.
