Comments
Cavern Records, in Walthamstow High Street, has now closed down. They closed this summer, and said the rioting finished them off.
Comment:Linda Hughes
(Oct 24, 2013) Anonymous said:Alan what a nice guy used to trade with him he also used to work for barry paul
(June 7, 2013) Dougie p said:Alan Challoner was the guys name, who owned the shop. I used to supply his printed carrier bags. I think he had his first record shop in the indoor centre at Lewisham, south london.
(June 1, 2013) Ryan Scanlan said:I used to visit Cavern every week throughout 1991 and most of 1993 - they always stocked loads of hardcore rave vinyl, very rare white labels.
In Walthamstow you had Cavern Records or Record Village, Cavern was always my slightly preferred choice as not only were they slightly cheaper per vinyl, they always seem to have releases much sooner than Record Village. White labels they really stood out for, tonnes and tonnes of rare unknown white labels were stock which Record Village never had.
Guy behind the counter I've been trying to find out his name for years now, would love to simply say mate thanks very much for such good times in providing quality music. All I remember is the guy was in 20's with a tight pony tail behind the decks which were situated in the far back left of the shop. Then he and all the oldskool rave stuff just dissappeared in mid 1993 roughly, just chart music being played in it's place.
Massive respect to this shop, I still treasure all the quality vinyl bought back then with numerous plays still today.
(March 30, 2015) Cavern Records in Lewisham was run by Matt and Steve. Later on they opened independence records on Lee High road in Lewisham. A couple of good blokes, independence shut down now many moons ago.Used to pull up outside hoping I wouldn't get a ticket and run in and pick up whatever was new that week. Those were the days. Comment: Rossi Howard.
Name Jason Newson Comment: In response to Ryan Scanlon, the guy who played the decks with the pony tail was Toby Best, the reason that he just disappeared was because Toby and myself (I worked there between April '92 - April '93) were accused of stealing just over £300 from the till on a Saturday. The strange thing about this was that there were three of us that day (the other was Kelly who was the Saturday girl, her sister used to do the mixing desk at The Standard around this time, can't remember her name but she was not the happiest soul), our manager who was Alan's girlfriend was sick that day, which was unusual to say the least. Anyhow, on the Monday Alan was there and told me and Toby that money had been stolen and we were the suspects, he sent us upstairs to sweat it out saying that he was calling the police. I can only say for myself that it wasn't me, and Toby said the same. In relflection the issue for me was suspect all or none, so why wasn't Kelly accused as surely she was as suspect as us? The outcome was that Alan withheld our wages, so we went to Chingford nick and was arrested there and then, questioned and taken to court. The case was dropped due to lack of evidence. Needless to say neither of us returned to work there. I used to live round the corner in Somers Road so about a year later went in there, Alan immediately went bonkers threatening to call the police if I did not leave the shop. I don't know what happened to Toby. (August 31, 2016).
Name Justin Holden Comment: Tobes is alive and well, married with 2 kids. I saw him just yesterday for Chinese/Lunar New Year. I first met him in the shop almost 30 years ago. Weirdly enough we both now live in Singapore. (February 1, 2017)
Name Scott DorringtonComment: I worked there I think the years 1996 to 1998 was a great laugh I used to love it when there was a new single or album out. Some of the buyers went mental to get the early. I used to hear about someone who stole from him I didn't believe it because it apparently happened again and I found out he had miss placed some money. Then found it after accusing everyone and not one appology for accusing. He used to do so many dodgy deals. (Feb 3, 2017)
Comment
For those of you interested, this happened at Companies House last week: he was told to change his company name for being too similar to the Cavern Club in Liverpool: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/company-names-tribunal-decision-cavern-records-limited/decision-on-cavern-records-limited It sounds like it's the same guy behind the business.
Name
Brendan Q
(2020)
Comment
Just found a 17 pound credit for the Cavern from the mid 1980s. I was a teenager in California at that time and used to order obscure vinyl from there. Guess I'll never get to use that store credit!
Name
Michele Beaty
(2020)
I worked with obviously Alan, John, Rick, Chris and Gemma mainly over that time, plus the random coming and going people who often didn't last long as I don't think they could get their head around the organised chaos of the place or just could click with/read how Al could be. He was definitely going through hard times and at first getting my head around the dodgy deals took some getting use to but in all honesty I was very fond of him and he treated me really well.
Love my days clashing music tastes and battling on what was playing in the shop with the heart of gold that is Rick, Gemma's feistiness and the constant laughs and "High Fidelity" esq conversations with Chris.
It had it's faults but it was a dusty treasure trove and growing up in Walthamstow and the market still buzzing back then and all the characters in it, it really felt like you were a real part of the community and Walthamstow history.
HMV opening really has an impact though and Al definitely had lost his love for the industry and it fell behind and I was gutted when it closed. Felt like the end of something special. I reckon if it had made it over the hump and stuck it out until the vinyl revival it could have still been there today with the combination of the Grime scene but also the gentrification/hipster influx too.
I didn't necessarily think it obviously at the time, but looking back at being a teenager then and the environment I was surrounded by everyday, I loved working there and 20 years later I'd say it was the best job I've ever had (well the one I have the fondest memories of).
Was a great place to work.
Toby and Jason started after I left, they replaced me and Lorraine.
Brenda was Alan's girlfriend who wanted to run the place.
Alan was a good boss and I never had a problem with him till we fell out at the end of my employment.