If you head down to the River Lea in the heart of Hackney over the next few weeks, you might stumble upon one of London’s hidden gems: The Record Deck, a floating vinyl store.
Luke Guilford the owner has been collecting his records from the age of 12. After working as a university librarian for several years, he decided to turn his passion into an occupation.
He already owned the boat having bought it at a festival a couple of years earlier, and realised that hosting his shop on the water would give his customers a unique shopping experience. The Record Deck is aimed squarely at that swathe of millennials who want to own some vinyl.
But Guilford says that sales have dipped slightly lately. For him the best year so far was 2016, so he’s hoping that Christmas and the New Year will see a resurgence because, as any music lover knows, there is nothing quite like vinyl.
The atmosphere on the Record Deck stays with you. Springfield Park in the background is beautiful, and the boat itself is cosy. However, what makes the Record Deck truly special is Luke Guilford himself. He knows so much about music, and has an abundance of stories that he is ready to share. He is what makes The Record Deck a must-visit for anyone interested in vinyl.
Luke blogs about his experiences on a floating record store at: https://therecorddeckuk.wordpress.com/about/
