Record Shops in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole makes for an easy, seaside-leaning record-shop crawl, with clusters you can stitch together between the beaches, the Old Town lanes and Boscombe’s high-street bustle. Poole Old Town is a natural anchor thanks to Boiler Room Records Poole, a long-running independent with a well-curated mix of new and second-hand vinyl and CDs spanning everything from rock and hip-hop to jazz and classical, and it’s close to other Poole stops for a quick double (or triple) browse. In Bournemouth, Rocket Records on Wimborne Road is a friendly, neatly laid-out shop where regulars rave about the punk and rock racks, while Snu-Peas on Ashley Road is gloriously old-school, packed with vinyl, CDs and cassettes for the kind of dig where you lose track of time. Christchurch adds a compact centrepiece around Castle Street with The Vault for a cosy, genre-spanning browse, and if you fancy a rummage with extra curios, VINTAGE, Books, Movie Posters, Music in Westbourne pairs records with wider pop-culture treasure-hunting. For musicians, Absolute Music brings instruments, gear and rehearsal spaces into the mix, rounding out a scene that’s as much about playing as collecting—browse the listings and plot a route that suits your ears.

Our directory currently lists 12 record shops across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, spanning long-established institutions and newer independent arrivals, with shops in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch. Between them you will find new and second-hand vinyl across every genre, from rare original pressings and audiophile reissues to the latest releases, plus turntables, accessories and knowledgeable staff happy to point you towards your next find.

Many independents here join in with Record Store Day every April, when limited releases and queues outside the shutters are all part of the fun, and several host in-store performances and special events through the year. Because opening times differ from shop to shop, check the individual listings below before setting out so you can plan your visit around the ones you most want to see.