New specialist vinyl record store opens in Leeds from ex-Mercury Prize nominee

A brand-new specialist vinyl record store has opened at Sunny Bank Mills, the award-winning mill complex in Farsley, near Leeds.

Managed by vinyl obsessives Choque Hosein, Colin Richardson, Jamie Styan and John-Paul Craven, Record Plant opened its doors on National Album Day.

Choque was a member of the Leeds band Black Star Liner, whose album Bengali Bantam Youth Experience was shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize in 1999, alongside Blur, the Chemical Brothers, the Stereophonics and the Manic Street Preachers.

Choque commented: “While we had an amazing time at the Mercury Prize awards ceremony, rubbing shoulders with icons like Damon Albarn and the Manics, I think I am more excited by our new shop. This is a dream come true for me.

“Vinyl is a massive, massive part of my life and the Record Plant is a celebration of this. We don’t just have a wonderful array of brand-new and second-hand records, we also provide a first-class vinyl cleaning and de-warping service.

The Record Plant is based in 1 The Old Engine Room, a studio space with exposed beams and old-fashioned brickwork in the heart of Sunny Bank Mills. It is next door to the 500-capacity Old Woollen venue, which boasts an “ambitious and eclectic” mix of music, comedy, theatre and the spoken word.

Choque, who has previously worked at Leeds record stores Jumbo and Crash, explained: “Being next door to The Old Woollen couldn’t be more appropriate.

“It is an incredibly flexible and dynamic space that has already hosted famous names like John Lydon’s Public Image Limited, Shaun Ryder, Mark Radcliffe, Gary Delaney, The Great British Sewing Bee’s Esme Young and legendary TV historian Lucy Worsley.”

“I am tremendously grateful to William and John Gaunt, the owners of Sunny Banks Mills for providing such a special home for our vinyl shop.”

William Gaunt added: “I have been an avid record collector, gig goer and follower of the Leeds music scene for years. I first met Choque whilst he was behind the record counter of Crash records, when they opened opposite Leeds University in the mid-1980s.

“So it feels like coming full circle with the arrival of the Record Plant at Sunny Bank Mills. The treasured vinyl records and discs we bought as teenagers and students 40 years ago are now highly sought after classics. Choque and his team’s knowledge are second to none.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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