Secret Nottinghamshire: I couldn’t believe my eyes when visiting Nottingham’s ‘frozen in time’ record shop

The way we listen to music has changed dramatically over the decades. 

In the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s vinyl was king, before the popularity of CDs took over in the ‘90s and ‘00s. 

In recent years streaming platforms have taken over much of the music industry, with one single subscription allowing fans access to thousands of songs. 

But 2023 marked a turning point for the industry, with the highest number of vinyl sales in the UK since 1990. 

That is of course welcome news for record shops up and down the country, particularly those which have been there for vinyl fans through thick and thin. 

Here in Nottingham, it’s fair to say that Rob’s Records has been the number one destination in the city for vinyl junkies for more than four decades. 

Located in Hurts Yard, tucked away between Lower Parliament Street and Chapel Bar, Rob’s Records opened in 1980 and has been trading vinyl ever since. 

Having heard many stories about this iconic Nottingham shop but never actually been inside, I headed down to check out Rob’s Records for myself. 

An Aladdin’s cave for vinyl

The hidden nature of Hurts Yard gives Rob’s Records a kind of mystique in itself. 

If you didn't know the shop was there, you wouldn’t typically walk past and pop in for a look - and I like that. 

As I arrived at the shop, a scribbled note on the door told me that Rob was on lunch and would be back at 3.30pm. 

I hung around for about 10 minutes and, sure enough, Rob returned at 3.30pm on the dot to let me and one other customer inside. 

As I walked inside, I found the shop to be like nothing I’d ever seen before. 

With stacks of records piled nearly as high as the ceiling, even looking across the other side of the shop was something of a challenge. 

Despite the seemingly unorganised layout of the shop, I couldn’t help but feel that this only added to its character. 

Among the thousands of records spread across the shop will undoubtedly be a few hidden gems, which certainly isn’t something you could say about browsing in HMV. 

Given the tough current climate for small businesses, it should be celebrated that a shop like Rob’s Records exists in 2024. 

Without any gimmicks, the shop acts as an old-school hub for vinyl fans - as it has done for the past four decades. 

Here’s to hoping that Rob’s Records continues serving Nottingham for many years to come. 

Scroll down to see more photos inside the shop.