Record shop planned for trendy Sheffield street, with plans drawn up for Ecclesall Road site
One of Sheffield’s traditional shopping streets looks set to see a record shop opening.
Plans have been drawn up to open a shop selling vinyl records, which would also host a small bar, on Ecclesall Road.
Stephen Eachus’s plans, outlined in a planning application to Sheffield Council, would see the shop open up in what has been the Freestylers barber shop, near the junction with Hickmott Road on the well-known Sheffield street.
Drawings submitted by Mr Eachus along with his planning application show it bearing the name Unity Underground Record shop and bar.
He describes Ecclesall Road as one of the principal routes leading into Sheffield city centre, and the site as part of a mixed-use parade, characterised by commercial units including shops, cafés, pubs and services.
The shop would only use the ground floor of the building.
It would sell records and record-related merchandise and there would be a small bar area for on-site consumption.
The proposal also includes hosting small-scale, in-store, DJ events and listening parties on a weekly basis, with plans for something each Saturday.
But he says attendances would be limited to 50 attendees.
If it gets planning permission, the Ecclesall Road venue would open from 11am until 9pm Monday to Thursday, and 11am until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays. and Sundays from 12noon until 6pm.
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He added in his planning application: “The works proposed comprise updated external front signage and an internal shop fit-out, including the installation of extensive soundproofing within the ceiling cavity.
“No structural alterations to the building are required.”
Vinyl records have seen a surge in popularity in recent years, along with the turntable record players which are used to play them on.
They had previously been out of fashion since the 1980s and 1990s, when CDs started to become more popular, and since downloads and streaming become popular.