Plastic Wax - let the music play
Ask Dave Kellard about his favourite music and he'll tell you straight off: "Led Zeppelin, 60s soul, punk, reggae, blues". And while his shop Plastic Wax has plenty examples of those, it's also stacked with many more musical genres.
Plastic Wax has been a fixture on Cheltenham Road for more than 40 years, and following the vinyl revival it might just be trading better than ever. With brand new LPs retailing at up to £40, a second-hand bargain looks all the more appealing. But it hasn't always been like this.
"Back in the day when everyone got CDs it looked for a while as though vinyl was dead", says Dave. "But we managed to keep going and it's all come on again".
A new, younger generation of customers has discovered the joys of vinyl records, with classic rock being one of the main areas of interest.
"Pink Floyd, Led Zep - they're always popular", says Dave. "But no-one's interested in 50s rock 'n roll records anymore. And classic 60s soul albums don't go too well, which I find a bit of a surprise.
"But tastes are always changing - you never know what's coming next."
Plastic Wax has its share of expensive rarities - among them a David Bowie boxed set on offer at £800. Good quality first pressings of classic 70s albums can cost around £40. But at the lower end, prices start at £1. There's a brisk trade in CDs too, with an offer of 10 for £5.
Dave can still remember the first singles he bought, at 6/8d (around 37p) a time: "Chuck Berry, No Particular Place To Go, Pink Floyd, See Emily Play and Homburg by Procol Harum".
At 73 years old, he's still keen to share his love of music. "It's great seeing families come in with youngsters dancing to a record they've heard for the first time", he says.
"We're trading well and I'm going to keep on with it for as long as I can."
