Comments on: Zodiac Record Dealers, Wandsworth Town

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 22:12:00 +0000

In reply to Eric Krieger. Hi Eric! Thanks so much for sharing this information - it all helps to build a picture of the social history of this area. An interesting rental system indeed!

By: Eric Krieger

Eric Krieger — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 17:54:41 +0000

In the 1980s, I lived in a neighbouring street, Tonsley Hill. The 75% cassette refund sign relates to a then trading system. There was a rental/purchase scheme based on “club” membership. You registered to join the shop club. If you “purchased” a cassette at the marked price, then there was the option of keeping the tape. Alternatively, you could return the cassette within a period (ten days or so) and receive a 75% refund. Effectively, renting the tape for 25% of the cost. If the cassette was damaged, you still only got 25%. This way, the owner avoided consumer rights law! His idea was that used cassettes were risky – you couldn’t detect faults by simple inspection. The owner said that the risk was shared between him and the purchaser. He believed that it was easier to spot a damaged CD, so this club was needed!

By: mikke

mikke — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 23:12:45 +0000

In reply to atrmws. hello there do you have this number now?

By: Hugh

Hugh — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 16:22:26 +0000

I first visited this business at its previous location in Lower Richmond Road in Putney – close to where the boat race starts – in 1963. That shop has not survived. I visited the Wandsworth shop a few times in the 1990’s, after they had switched to CD’s.and bagged a bunch of cassettes which he was phasing out. I made a trip back to the area last Saturday, to find the shop firmly closed. There was a contact telephone number which I rang, and learned that the property had been had been acquired in 2009. Sigh. Another part of my youth fades and vanishes. There used to be a number of secondhand record shops in south London. I am told that few survived the introduction of V.A.T. I’m now living in Sussex, where vinyl abounds in Oxfam shops.

By: atrmws

atrmws — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 10:34:56 +0000

This store is a ghost

Inside there are broken boxes

Frayed masking-tape on corners

Where was once the sound

Of Drive-In Saturday

Dusty silence rings out

Victim to the traffic

How much of our local youth

Formed their character here

Burnt pleasure onto their memory

How much our sense of anticipation

Looked forward to eleven o’clock

By: Helen Cox

Helen Cox — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 12:16:30 +0000

In reply to Stephen G. Hipperson. Agreed! I used to support my local record shop when it was open but not everyone does.

By: Stephen G. Hipperson

Stephen G. Hipperson — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 12:15:39 +0000

When these sorts of shops close we only have ourselves to blame.