Few independent record shops in the north of England carry the history and sheer depth of stock found at Vinyl Tap, which trades from a bold blue-fronted store on John William Street, directly opposite Huddersfield railway station. What began as a single market stall has grown into one of the country’s best-known names for vinyl, while keeping the welcoming, dig-friendly feel of a proper local shop.
Background / History
Vinyl Tap was founded in 1985 by Huddersfield record collector Tony Boothroyd, who started out selling records from a stall on the town’s open market. Demand grew steadily as customers arrived not just to buy but to sell, and the business expanded into shops in Halifax and Leeds before becoming a limited company in 1992. From 1999 it concentrated on mail order, building a worldwide reputation through its website and at record fairs at home and abroad. In 2011 it returned to the high street with the current Huddersfield premises, bringing the operation full circle to its home town.
What You’ll Find
The shop holds a vast and constantly changing stock that runs well into six figures, covering new and pre-owned vinyl, CDs, cassettes and music memorabilia. The ground floor carries the latest releases alongside core new and second-hand titles, while the basement is given over to budget and clearance stock, with records priced from as little as 50p and plenty that never makes it online. Coverage spans rock, pop, indie, new wave, soul, jazz, classical and far beyond, with a particular strength in the rare and collectable: promos, deleted titles, out-of-print pressings, imports and limited editions. As an official Record Store Day shop and a Dinked Edition stockist, it is also a reliable source for indie exclusives, and as an Official Charts reporting retailer every sale counts towards the national charts.
Experience / Atmosphere
Browsing Vinyl Tap rewards time and curiosity. The two-floor layout invites a proper dig, from carefully arranged new arrivals upstairs to the bargain crates below, and the staff are genuinely knowledgeable across a wide spread of styles, happy to track down a request or point you towards something unexpected. The mood is relaxed and unpretentious, equally comfortable for seasoned collectors chasing a specific pressing and for newcomers building a first shelf of records. Its position next to the station has long made it a natural stop for music lovers passing through town.
Why Visit
- One of the UK’s longest-running independent record shops, trading since 1985
- More than 150,000 items across new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes and memorabilia
- Real strength in rare, deleted, promo, import and limited-edition releases
- A basement of clearance stock with records from just 50p
- Official Record Store Day shop, Dinked stockist and Charts reporting retailer
- Knowledgeable staff and an easy, welcoming atmosphere right by the railway station
Summary
Vinyl Tap pairs the scale and specialist knowledge of a major mail-order operation with the warmth of a town-centre independent. Whether you are hunting a long-lost pressing, picking up the newest indie exclusive or simply happy to lose an hour flicking through the racks, it remains one of Yorkshire’s essential record-shop destinations and a deserving stop for anyone in Huddersfield.
