Andys Records
Encyclopedia
Andys Records was a UK
music retailer that traded from 1969 to 2003. Based in Bury St. Edmunds
, its roots were in nearby Felixstowe
and Cambridge
.
pier in 1969 and within five years had acquired a stall on Cambridge market. The market stall was incredibly successful, and in 1976 Gray opened his first retail shop in Mill Road, Cambridge
. Initially, Andys was well known for undercutting competitors by importing records from Europe at a bargain price and then passing the savings on to customers. The chain's expansion was slow and steady, and by the early 1980s, the company had twelve stores across the East Anglia
region (Cambridge
(2), Bury St. Edmunds
, King's Lynn
, Peterborough
, Haverhill
, Colchester
, Bedford
, Lowestoft
, Colchester
, Norwich
and Ipswich
).
In 1983 the company was trading as Andys Records & Video (capitalising on the success of the VHS and Betamax war
). Gray listed the chain as a limited company
, AHG Records. By this time, Gray's brother William (also known as Billy) had become marketing director. Early advertising was often humorous and sometimes self-deprecating. Their slogan around this time was "Possibly the greatest music stores in the world". This was replaced in the early 90s by "Where music matters" and again later on by "Where music REALLY matters".
The company, buoyed by the relatively new formats of VHS and CD, started to aggressively expand out of the Anglia region. Deciding that South England was too expensive, the Gray brothers concentrated on opening stores in the Midlands
and North England. By the late 80s to early 90s, Andys Records was fast becoming a well-known name on the UK High Street
. It became the UK's largest independent music retailer in 1992, a title it retained for 10 years.
Independent Retailer Award, and continued to win this award each year until 1999. The chain also came third in 2002 as National Music Retailer.
By the mid-1990s, the company had climbed into the Top 500 of UK companies and boasted an impressive 30+ store portfolio. By this time, Andys had stopped selling cheap imports and started to compete with HMV and Virgin Megastores as a premium music retailer. The chain was too small to compete with these two, but too large to undercut competitors.
New stores started to be opened as Andys, dropping the Records tag as it was considered too old-fashioned. In November 1999, Andys opened its 40th store in Leamington Spa
.
and Doncaster
stores were to close. With Supermarkets pricing getting even cheaper and increased competition from online stores, the chain started to flounder. When major competitors, such as HMV or Virgin, were present, their campaign sales were better than Andys, and recent chart albums were available at a much lower price (due to their bulk buying power). Also Andys marketing was not up to the same standard.
After more store closures in 2001 and 2002, the chain was down to a roster of just under 30 stores and lost its claim to be the largest independent chain, being replaced by the up-and-coming Music Zone
. In early 2002 Billy Gray left the company to work for rival Tower Records
UK. Following a disappointing 2002 Christmas, Gray decided to go back to his roots and started to sell imports at cut-throat prices. Thousands of titles were slashed in price in January 2003, many normally retailing at £10.99 were reduced to £6.99, and £15.99/£16.99 became £10.99/£12.99. Around this time, the chain had a minor facelift with new styling and decor in most stores and new uniforms for staff.
on 28 May 2003 with just 23 stores still trading.
The bank exercised its legal right to call in the administrators after it lost faith that the company could pay back a loan that was taken out in 1992 to expand the company. Gray, now a multi-millionaire (he came 94th in the Sunday Times Rich List
one year during the mid-90s) was unwilling to fund his company after three years of letting it racking up massive losses.
RSM Robson Rhodes
were the administrators appointed by Barclays Bank to run the company during the administration period. All 23 stores were put up for sale as a going concern
. Both HMV and Virgin looked at stores but decided not to purchase. In July 2003, South England-based music retailer Powerplay bought four stores (Lowestoft, Bedford, Hull and Lancaster) from the administrators. The company purchased a further two (Hereford and Worcester) in September 2003. All stores have since shut their doors and Powerplay now concentrates on online sales under the name Powerplay Direct although they have now opened a new store in Leicester.
After some immediate closures due to unprofitability, the chain was whittled down to 10 and started to sell all of its stock at discounted prices. The Beverley
store was eventually bought by its management team. It stayed open till late 2005.
All stores eventually shut on Saturday 13 September 2003.
Andy Gray continues to run a successful reissue
record label, BGO Records, from Bury St. Edmunds (actually behind the old Andys Records head office). BGO is now the fourth largest reissue label in the UK and specialises in niche genres.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music retailer that traded from 1969 to 2003. Based in Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
, its roots were in nearby Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
.
Early days and Expansion
Andy Gray started selling second-hand jukebox 45s and old 78 rpm records on FelixstoweFelixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
pier in 1969 and within five years had acquired a stall on Cambridge market. The market stall was incredibly successful, and in 1976 Gray opened his first retail shop in Mill Road, Cambridge
Mill Road, Cambridge
Mill Road is a street in southeast Cambridge, England. It runs southeast from near to Parker's Piece, at the junction with Gonville Place, East Road, and Parkside. It crosses the main railway line and links to the city's ring road . It passes through the wards of Petersfield and Romsey, which are...
. Initially, Andys was well known for undercutting competitors by importing records from Europe at a bargain price and then passing the savings on to customers. The chain's expansion was slow and steady, and by the early 1980s, the company had twelve stores across the East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
region (Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
(2), Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
, King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
, Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
, Haverhill
Haverhill, Suffolk
Haverhill is an industrial market town and civil parish in the county of Suffolk, England, next to the borders of Essex and Cambridgeshire. It lies southeast of Cambridge and north of central London...
, Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, Lowestoft
Lowestoft
Lowestoft is a town in the English county of Suffolk. The town is on the North Sea coast and is the most easterly point of the United Kingdom. It is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and south-east of Norwich...
, Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
).
In 1983 the company was trading as Andys Records & Video (capitalising on the success of the VHS and Betamax war
Videotape format war
The videotape format war was a period of intense competition or "format war" of incompatible models of consumer-level analog video videocassette and video cassette recorders in the late 1970s and the 1980s.- Overview :...
). Gray listed the chain as a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
, AHG Records. By this time, Gray's brother William (also known as Billy) had become marketing director. Early advertising was often humorous and sometimes self-deprecating. Their slogan around this time was "Possibly the greatest music stores in the world". This was replaced in the early 90s by "Where music matters" and again later on by "Where music REALLY matters".
The company, buoyed by the relatively new formats of VHS and CD, started to aggressively expand out of the Anglia region. Deciding that South England was too expensive, the Gray brothers concentrated on opening stores in the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and North England. By the late 80s to early 90s, Andys Records was fast becoming a well-known name on the UK High Street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
. It became the UK's largest independent music retailer in 1992, a title it retained for 10 years.
Awards
In 1993, the company won the prestigious Music WeekMusic Week
Music Week is a trade paper for the UK record industry.Founded in 1959 as Record Retailer, it was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week . On 17 January 1981 the title was again changed, owing to the increasing importance of sell-through videos, to Music & Video Week...
Independent Retailer Award, and continued to win this award each year until 1999. The chain also came third in 2002 as National Music Retailer.
By the mid-1990s, the company had climbed into the Top 500 of UK companies and boasted an impressive 30+ store portfolio. By this time, Andys had stopped selling cheap imports and started to compete with HMV and Virgin Megastores as a premium music retailer. The chain was too small to compete with these two, but too large to undercut competitors.
New stores started to be opened as Andys, dropping the Records tag as it was considered too old-fashioned. In November 1999, Andys opened its 40th store in Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
.
The downfall
In August 2000 it was announced that the WarringtonWarrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
and Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
stores were to close. With Supermarkets pricing getting even cheaper and increased competition from online stores, the chain started to flounder. When major competitors, such as HMV or Virgin, were present, their campaign sales were better than Andys, and recent chart albums were available at a much lower price (due to their bulk buying power). Also Andys marketing was not up to the same standard.
After more store closures in 2001 and 2002, the chain was down to a roster of just under 30 stores and lost its claim to be the largest independent chain, being replaced by the up-and-coming Music Zone
Music Zone
Music Zone was a music retailer in the United Kingdom, formed in Levenshulme in 1984, as a market stall in Longsight, Manchester.-History:Soon after, Music Zone opened its first permanent shop in Stockport and began to expand in the Manchester region, rebranding itself to Music Zone Trade Direct...
. In early 2002 Billy Gray left the company to work for rival Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
UK. Following a disappointing 2002 Christmas, Gray decided to go back to his roots and started to sell imports at cut-throat prices. Thousands of titles were slashed in price in January 2003, many normally retailing at £10.99 were reduced to £6.99, and £15.99/£16.99 became £10.99/£12.99. Around this time, the chain had a minor facelift with new styling and decor in most stores and new uniforms for staff.
Administration
The changes were too little, too late, and the company fell into administrationAdministration (insolvency)
As a legal concept, administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions. It functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent entities and allows them to carry on running their business. The process – an alternative to liquidation – is often known as going...
on 28 May 2003 with just 23 stores still trading.
The bank exercised its legal right to call in the administrators after it lost faith that the company could pay back a loan that was taken out in 1992 to expand the company. Gray, now a multi-millionaire (he came 94th in the Sunday Times Rich List
Sunday Times Rich List
The Sunday Times Rich List is a list of the 1,000 wealthiest people or families in the United Kingdom, updated annually in April and published as a magazine supplement by British national Sunday newspaper The Sunday Times since 1989...
one year during the mid-90s) was unwilling to fund his company after three years of letting it racking up massive losses.
RSM Robson Rhodes
RSM Robson Rhodes
RSM Robson Rhodes LLP was a partnership of chartered accountants in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was the UK member firm of RSM International, the 6th largest network of professional accountancy firms in the world...
were the administrators appointed by Barclays Bank to run the company during the administration period. All 23 stores were put up for sale as a going concern
Going concern
A going concern is a business that functions without the threat of liquidation for the foreseeable future, usually regarded as at least within 12 months.-Definition of the 'going concern' concept:...
. Both HMV and Virgin looked at stores but decided not to purchase. In July 2003, South England-based music retailer Powerplay bought four stores (Lowestoft, Bedford, Hull and Lancaster) from the administrators. The company purchased a further two (Hereford and Worcester) in September 2003. All stores have since shut their doors and Powerplay now concentrates on online sales under the name Powerplay Direct although they have now opened a new store in Leicester.
After some immediate closures due to unprofitability, the chain was whittled down to 10 and started to sell all of its stock at discounted prices. The Beverley
Beverley
Beverley is a market town, civil parish and the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River Hull and the Westwood. The town is noted for Beverley Minster and architecturally-significant religious buildings along New Walk and other areas, as well as the Beverley...
store was eventually bought by its management team. It stayed open till late 2005.
All stores eventually shut on Saturday 13 September 2003.
Andy Gray continues to run a successful reissue
Reissue
A reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions....
record label, BGO Records, from Bury St. Edmunds (actually behind the old Andys Records head office). BGO is now the fourth largest reissue label in the UK and specialises in niche genres.
External links
- Andy Gray's record label
- Gray Matters, Billy Gray's consultancy firm
- Powerplay Direct