It’s official… Longwell Records has made the move from Keynsham to Clifton, with owner Iain Aitchison bringing with him a decade’s worth of memories, plenty of loyal customers, more records than he can probably keep track of and a bright outlook for the next chapter in his iconic business… Image above: Just like home – the new Clifton Arcade unit
Some say that moving home is one of the most stressful things a person can do. And anyone who’s moved business premises will no doubt tell you the two uprooting experiences are definitely singing from the same hymn sheet – especially a business that’s accumulated thousands of pieces of stock over the course of its 10-year existence. It’s a wonder, then, that Iain Aitchison – owner of Longwell Records – sounds so calm when I speak to him just days before he re-launches his shop in its new home in Clifton Arcade, despite the process he’s describing:
“It’s absolutely crazy at the minute,” he says. “Going through 10 years’ worth of shop stock is pretty brutal for me, because I’m a bit of a hoarder. There are so many records, bits of memorabilia and things with emotional ties. But it’s good to start afresh sometimes.”
Anyone who’d ever wandered into Iain’s previous place in Keynsham would have been presented with a typical record shop set-up, with vinyl and merch crammed into every nook and cranny. His new unit in Clifton Arcade, just off Boyce’s Avenue in the Village, might at first glance have a much clearer, Scandi-like aesthetic (for now, anyway) – but its soul is very much steeped in the tradition of record rummaging.
“I’ve got to be honest, it’s looking very pretty,” notes Iain. “It’s so neat and tidy compared to the Keynsham shop. But every record shop has its own style. People don’t really want ultra-clean record shops; they want somewhere to get down and dirty, proper crate-digging. There’s obviously a place for HMV and all the cleanliness, but people also like bargains and discovery. I’m selling mainly used records (about 80%) with some new releases in the mix as well.”
Indie ideas
Choosing to up sticks from Keynsham to Clifton wasn’t an easy decision, but it was a necessary one for Iain.
“In the latter years in Keynsham, a lot of people were already travelling to us from Bristol anyway, especially once we started doing a record stall at Forwards Festival four years ago. Running a shop can be lonely sometimes, especially somewhere that doesn’t get much footfall.
Many of Iain’s existing clientele will no doubt be popping into the Clifton store, and he hopes the new location will also bring passing custom from more students and tourists (in the same vein as his six-month pop-up at Wapping Wharf just after the pandemic), which he’s really excited about.
“What I love most is the customers – their stories make the place. That’s what made the shop what it became, and that’s why people were so upset when it closed.”
Time spent at Longwell Records sounds like the perfect mixtape: you’re guaranteed to pull out some classic crowd-pleasers, with just enough promise of unearthing some delightfully new (and likely very local) bangers.
“I try to work with labels and local artists; that’s always been important to me,” Iain explains. “Over the years, I’ve had a lot of local artists ask me to sell their stuff, so I’ve got about 10 years’ worth of CDs and records I’m now trying to move on… especially bands that lasted six weeks, dumped a load of CDs in the shop, then disappeared,” he chuckles. “That’s the reality of it, but supporting local music is what we’re about, and I’ll be doing that in the new space as well.”
And in a world where music artists are paid between £0.0022 and £0.0036 per stream on average on platforms like Spotify – along with the proliferation of digital algorithms automatically curating playlists on our behalf – there’s a refreshing beauty and quality to unplugging and physically perusing records in a shop.
“People still stream music, of course, but there’s definitely a return to tactile things like records, books and physical ownership,” agrees Iain. “Most of the records I sell are second-hand. Think about all the lives they’ve been through: the break-ups, deaths, new beginnings – all of that history wrapped up in an album.
“Even if the music’s terrible, you’re still reading the sleeve notes, looking at the photos, seeing who produced it. Online, you just burn your eyes out scrolling.”
The debut
Although Longwell Records is embarking on a new chapter, how did its story begin? Iain was coming towards the end of his career as a drug worker (“Fifteen years in criminal justice drug work, working with heroin and crack users. Before that, I worked with people with learning disabilities, which was rewarding, but I was totally burnt out”) and was seeking something entirely different. That’s when he decided to start buying and selling records online in 2015, and a repeat customer began buying from Iain in bulk.
“Long story short, he turned out to be a EuroMillions winner (£148 million, to be precise). He didn’t tell me for months, which I respect. Once he realised I was just a normal person and not after his money, he offered to pay the first six months’ rent on a shop for me. That single act of kindness started 10 years of memories. Kids who came in aged six are now 16.” He opened his first bricks-and-mortar shop in Keynsham the following year, and still keeps in touch with his mysterious benefactor.
“It’s nice to do new stuff in life,” Iain reflects. “I never dreamt in a million years I’d eventually have a shop in Clifton, but here we are.”
For now, Iain has his focus firmly on the 12 months ahead at Clifton Arcade. Following a successful launch, he’s keen to continue his winning formula of personal service, decent prices and plenty of heart (plus, keep an eye out for after-hours events he’ll be putting on either in the Arcade or across the wider Clifton area once he’s settled).
“Starting something new is stressful, but it’s good for you emotionally. It’s all about new people and new energy – then before you know it, we might be another five years down the line. People know we’re good value and not pretentious; we’re just music people. We like having a laugh and not taking life too seriously.”
longwellrecords.com | @longwellrecords
