Behind the purple walls of 58a High Street, Slipped Discs gives Steyning something a small South Downs town rarely gets: a proper record shop, stocked with care by someone who has been digging through crates since childhood.
Background / History
Owner James Anderson started buying records at 13, picking through car boot sales near Brighton Station, and later helped pay his way through university by selling vinyl. After working as a studio engineer, he retrained as an electrician and built a career in electrical design before deciding to turn a lifelong hobby into a business. He viewed a small unit in Cobblestone Walk in March 2020, the day before the country went into lockdown, and opened the doors as soon as restrictions allowed. Two years on, the shop moved to its current, larger home on the High Street in the summer of 2022. A second branch ran on Shoreham’s High Street from April 2024 until October 2025, and the Steyning shop remains the heart of the business.
What You’ll Find
The racks cover a remarkably wide sweep of recorded music, from classical, jazz and blues through soul, rock ‘n’ roll and pop to hip-hop. New sealed vinyl arrives every Friday from the major labels and a handful of independents, often including limited coloured pressings, and it sits alongside a deep stock of pre-loved records and the occasional rarity. Prices run from playable copies of classic albums for a few pounds up to clean original pressings for serious collectors. CDs and cassettes have their own space too. Every second-hand record is cleaned before it goes on sale using a Loricraft machine, a fitting choice given that Loricraft cleaners are made right here in Steyning.
Experience / Atmosphere
Deep purple walls, shelves of sleeves and a glowing display cabinet framed by a collage of jazz album covers give the shop real character. James set out to make record collecting accessible to everyone, and that shows in the mix of bargain bins and sought-after pressings, as well as in the friendly, unhurried advice at the counter, including honest pointers on getting a decent turntable set-up. Keep an eye out for the sign-written Morris Minor postal van, which has become something of a local landmark in its own right. The shop takes part in Record Store Day and National Album Day, bringing a sense of occasion to the High Street.
Why Visit
- Fresh new vinyl every Friday, including coloured and limited pressings
- Every used record cleaned on a Loricraft machine before sale
- Genuinely broad stock, from classical and jazz to soul, rock and hip-hop
- Prices that suit first-time buyers and seasoned collectors alike
- A regular part of Record Store Day and National Album Day
Summary
Slipped Discs is the work of a lifelong collector who took a leap at the most uncertain moment imaginable and built a shop the town has clearly taken to. With carefully cleaned second-hand stock, a steady flow of new releases and a welcome that never feels exclusive, it rewards a slow browse and makes Steyning a worthwhile stop on any South Downs day out.
