#6 HAROLD MOORES RECORDS
COLIN MEDLEY
When Harold Moores Records closed in early 2017, it spelt the end of an era: HMR was the last specialist classical record shop in London’s West End and its absence leaves a big hole. Situated on Soho’s Great Marlborough Street, Moores was founded by an Australian classical enthusiast in the 1970s and, until he sold the shop in 2010, Harold was a regular, loud presence. New stock, largely CD but also LPs, was on the ground floor, while a basement full of used LPs (and some 78s) generated heat. As Harold sourced collections, including that of Christopher Lee, you could often find fascinating LPs. My greatest find was a Russian soundtrack to an odd Soviet attempt at making a spaghetti Western on the Steppes, and my love for East European music kept me digging in the basement. For the serious classical collector, Moores was the number one shop in London. Harold knew the worth of different pressings, just as nearby Reckless Records knows its classic rock. Moores attracted collectors from across the spectrum: Aphex Twin was rumoured to dig there for obscure musique concrete LPs. After Harold sold up, the shop went into a brief partnership with Mole Jazz then focused again on classical. Sadly, rising rents forced the shop to close and another Soho gem was gone.