Townsend Records

I found this in the 'Clitheroe Advertiser & Times' dated 10th June 1993: “A shop which promises to bring fine music to the ears of Ribble Valley residents of all ages has opened with a drum roll in Clitheroe town centre. Townsend Records, in Moor Lane, is a paradise of popular albums and singles. One of four stores owned by music connoisseur Steve Bamber, the independent record shop has thousands of compact discs and cassettes in stock, along with hundreds of 7in. and 12in. singles, backed up by a vast range of CD singles, all at competitive prices. More importantly, Steve and his staff pride themselves on the calibre of service they provide to customers, including a willingness and ability to order practically any record, cassette or compact disc not available in the store. You can order almost anything within a couple of days. “A lot of big stores cannot be bothered,” explained Steve. “Here, if somebody wants something, we will get it in a very short space of time. We won't mess people around. Anybody who is switched on knows you get a better service from independents,” he added. Customers familiar with the other Townsend Records branches in Great Harwood, Chorley and Leyland already appreciate the high level of service combined with a wide range of stock. Besides the general public, pubs, clubs and DJs have all become steadfast patrons of Townsend Records over the sorts of music they stock. There are a heck of a lot more records than those which reach the Top 40. There are albums which never get into the charts, but which sell very well. “There are also groups just starting out, which are not as popular in the beginning. But we supply them virtually from day one,” he continued. One of those bands is P. J. Harvey, which has risen from humble beginnings in the popularity stakes to chart-breaking status. Besides albums and singles, Townsend Records, which is open Monday to Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., has an ample supply of blank tapes and other accessories, including record styluses.”