Downtown
It started as a Market Stall and became briefly a chain! There was also a branch of Downtown in Westcliff London Road near The Plough pub where they would sell you bootlegs under the counter. I remember buying King Crimson and Yes boots in the pre-punk era with my paper round money. Comment: Graham Burnett
In the 60's and 70's Downtown Records on London Road near The Plough pub where they would sell you bootlegs under the counter. I remember buying King Crimson and Yes boots in the pre-punk era with my paper round money. Comment: Quercusrobur.
Worked with Chris sandy, Alan jones and Donna, still my best friend, from 1978 to 1984 in the Basildon shop. Still playing my records, my musical education now being passed on to my kids. Comment: Caroline
I've still got all my Jam picture cover 7 inch singles and most of my Two Tone and Mod stuff. From '79 to '83 I spent what little money I had in there and used to love jumping on the old 87 from 'The Bronx' - walking around the proper old Romford and mingling with the Mods, Skinheads, Punks, Rude Boys etc inside and outside Downtown. Brings back proper memories. Just played a mates original copy of Setting Sons - mint condition - including the Downtown price sticker!!! £4.99 ahhhhhhhhh happy days. Comment: Dave Creevy
I used to use the romford branch as my office.in the days before mobiles i used to give the number of one of the two phoneboxes outside for people to contact me.reading a lot of revisionist history about those days now.seems to me that in a skin/mod stronghold,as it very much was,the only other person dying their hair was the legend Gary Drew.Downtown was great,but it wasn't the 'fountain'. Comment: GLENN MACFARLANE-VAGE
Loved the Romford Branch. Went through a stage where I used to buy virtually everything from the Punk/oi section. Broke my heart when it closed. Often wonder happened to the Skinhead bloke with all the piercings? Comment: Dan Herbert.
Jeff Anonymous "I was that skinhead with all the piercings back in 1980\1985" ( April 26, 2016)
(May 19, 2014) Moonboy said:Used to sit in the doorway of the Ilford branch in the early eighties waiting for Chris to open the store on delivery days, I always got a cup of tea and first dibs on items as they came out of the box. Bauhaus - The skys gone out with free live LP and poster being a big memory. This was weekdays when I was on the dole. Weekends once I started working saw me and fellow Kallous Boy - Vincent Van Hire make our way to the Romford store where we would invairably divvy up the new punk 7" singles one of us buying the latest releases on No Future and the other buying all the releases on Riot City Records! I dread to think how much money I spent in Downtown but to be honest I always left happy and still have a fair chink of the Vinyl I bought there. I reckon Downtown at that point were my favourite record store alongside Rough Trade at Notting Hill and Small Wonder at Walthamstow. I am off to chuck a couple of Cravats singles on the turntable and pretend I am 17 again
(Apr 23, 2014) Paul Bakewell said:Bagged a new/ mint copy of Small Faces Ogdens (original press with round cover) in the sale for 69p in Romford !
(Apr 9, 2014) Anonymous said:fantastic. what memories seeing that red downtown bag again
(June 7, 2013) Anonymous said:Brilliant shop in Romford. When a new record I was after came out I'd finish school, jump on a 248, get off, straight into Downtown, buy it then get straight back home on the 248, perusing the sleeve, inner sleeve and vinyl (including runn off notes!). Great Indie 7 inch section down the back. I managed to pick up the first Wonder Stuff single (Wonderful day) of which there were only 1000 made. Most of my sadly departed Madness records came from here too. Every trip to Romford on a Saturday was built around Downtown...our price and parrot never really cut it!
(Feb 13, 2013) Preston Morley said:Worked in Downtown in Romford from '79 to '81 on Saturdays and school holidays. Used to get 50p an hour for a 10 hour shift and no lunch break! Loved it though - a really cool place to work.
(Jan 30, 2013) mikey said:remember the guys years ago use to work gravesend market nice guys
(Jan 1, 2013) Paul Cooper said:Downtown in Romford accounted for most of my school dinner money in the late 70s/early 80s. I'd buy very punk single released each week and plenty of LPs too. I'd love some photos if anybody has any to share. Recently found a Downtown 7" carrier bag whilst digging through records in a charity shop.
(Feb 6, 2015) Some of the best days of my life as co- owner of DOWNTOWN. Comment: Clive Spelman
(November 3, (2015)....the happiest days ever. Romford - Dumc & Mick christened me 'Peanut' on the first evening after school I worked and it stuck. Wednesday & Friday 4pm till close. Saturday 8am till whenever. £6 Clive ; co-owner with your brother Paul who ran Romford. Have in mind that ELO were your favoured band at the time ? Dave'Woodstock' Milner bought Romford as the focus became 'Rumours' . Happy times. Comment: Andy Briggs.
( Jan 28, 2016) I was co-owner of Downtown with my brother Paul ... Heady days 😄
( Jan 30, 2016) Clive, I remember you well. As well as Romford I came over a couple of times to Brentwood. You shouted a lot as I recall.... But always with a twinkle in your eyes. Best wishes Andy (Peanut).
Ian Rudall "Bought so many albums and singles from the Basildon branch in the 70's.I was just discovering "real" music and was backtracking on Bowie,Hawkwind Uriah Heep etc.Later on it was where I'd buy all the latest punk and reggae music.
Seeing the bags and especially the gold stickers brings back so many memories of those musically exciting times." ( April 18, 2016)
Name Dave Raeburn Comment Where it all started!! Used to spend all day Saturday in Brentwood store. ( July 21, 2016)
Name Stuart Hamilton Comment: Best job ever working downtown Ilford and Wembley market alongside Clive and Paul Spelman . Happy days really miss it. ( Sep 2, 2016)
Name Mike Harris Comment I used to visit the Romford branch in the late seventies. Not much pocket money so used to by random discounted singles and square mirrored badges. Rolling Stones 'lips' a favourite Used to have a sly look at the cover of Roxy's 'Country Life' in there too! (Nov 4, 2016)
Name Duncan Barnes Comment: Just discovered this page, fantastic.... I worked in the Romford shop from 1975 to 1982 and loved every minute; could write a book about the place but Paul and Clive might sue! Remember all the names of the people mentioned here and more. (hello Peanut, wondered what happened to you! - remember us taping you to a chair and putting you on the counter?!) what happened to Nobby and Mick Zip - anyone know? Hello Clive! - still drinking them all under the table? - we should meet up and carry on...! Better go before I get into trouble with my memories(I'm still selling records by the way) Best to all. (Dec 6, 2016).
Name Ken Parsons Comment: Just had this forwarded on to me. What can I say? Downtown Records,what memories! Am very touched that people out there still remember, and still care. The picture of the oblong gold sticker is the second version. The first was a small round one, about the size of a 1p piece. It was black and white, and depicted a girls face with her hand resting under her chin, just like the one on the black and white image of the bag.It was said to resemble the face of the then wife of one of the owners (hello Annette). I started work with them just as the Billericay branch came into being. Noel Edmonds opened the shop, and it brought the High Street to a standstill! From there I became the manager of the Westcliff branch. Yes, I was the one responsible for selling 'bootlegs'to special customers. Very naughty back then! Like you Duncan, I too could write a book (and make a film) about a lot of what went on. Just like to add, good job the bonnet of a Bentley was strong! But had better keep most of this to myself. The Spelman brothers can probably afford better lawyers than me! Hello, Clive, Paul,and Colin. We had some crazy times. Some of the best times of my life! I got to know customers who became great friends,and I am still in contact with today. I can honestly say I do not regret a single day that I worked for them. It was a gas. The memories still bring back floods of tears (from laughter), even after all these years. I used to have a pet snake, and somehow ended up with the nickname 'python'. A lot of the staff had nicknsmes, so I was not alone! So does anyone out there know what happened, to Dave Pegg,(manager of the Ilfo rd branch),Chris Sandy (manager of the Basildon branch),Dave Milner,aka 'Woodstock', (manager of the Romford branch)? Also the following staff: Gary,aka 'Plod', Gary Fairburn,aka 'Jaws', Alan Jones,aka 'Killer', Steve Ellis, Paul Keys, Barry Stanton,Steve Div, Trevor Beaman, and John and Lance who worked at Westcliff with me. Also Fred and Pinky, the market divs. Guess I better shut up for now. If you do have any info, please post it. Thank you all for your memories. Ken Parsons,aka Kenny Python. (Jan 1, 2017)
Name Mark Luffman Comment: I was red bag generation, worked the market stalls with Dave (who apparently was known as 'Woodstock', but not to me) Milner and Pinky 77/79 - Gravesend Saturday, Wembley Sunday (I used to sleep over at Dave's place Saturday nights where I'd stickybeak his collection - two of every Dylan record) and (my home town) Swanley on Wednesdays. Lots of great memories, and still have records bought there that mean so much to me they made the trip with me when I came to live down under. Street Corner Symphony by Carrie Lucas, in the masterbag with Dave's writing on the label. (March 9, 2017)
Name Aleks Kotulski Comment: Nice page, good memories. Hi to Clive, Chris, Dave based in Brentwood '74-'79 with spells on the market Clive's and drops to Basildon, Westcliff in my Humber. Worked for vinyl which I guess we all did and still have it.
Thanks guys who looked out for my brother Mark after I left. Spent three tours in the states. Heard Dave was based in Rhodes.
Guess the vinyl is making a comeback through supermarkets at £16 - time for a reunion! (March 29, 2017)
Name gary h Comment: I used downtown records in Romford from 1972-first album I bought was Doremifasollatido-Hawkwind with poster-used all my paper round money on vinyl and always jumped on an 86 bus on Saturdays straight to the shop-no outlet in Romford came close in finding the lps I wanted-great memories of those days.
Name dr doom Comment: How well i remember the billericay store,early seventies. spent many happy hours in there, and a shed load of cash. Uriah Heep, Moodies, Bowie, Tull, Wishbone Ash, Van Der Graaf Generator etc, etc. and i still have them all. also remember the two gorgeous girls who worked there, one blone, t'other brunette, never learned their names. fantastic knowledge of the albums they sold. nice bums too! i wish them well. (May 23, 2017)
In the 60's and 70's Downtown Records on London Road near The Plough pub where they would sell you bootlegs under the counter. I remember buying King Crimson and Yes boots in the pre-punk era with my paper round money. Comment: Quercusrobur.
Worked with Chris sandy, Alan jones and Donna, still my best friend, from 1978 to 1984 in the Basildon shop. Still playing my records, my musical education now being passed on to my kids. Comment: Caroline
I've still got all my Jam picture cover 7 inch singles and most of my Two Tone and Mod stuff. From '79 to '83 I spent what little money I had in there and used to love jumping on the old 87 from 'The Bronx' - walking around the proper old Romford and mingling with the Mods, Skinheads, Punks, Rude Boys etc inside and outside Downtown. Brings back proper memories. Just played a mates original copy of Setting Sons - mint condition - including the Downtown price sticker!!! £4.99 ahhhhhhhhh happy days. Comment: Dave Creevy
I used to use the romford branch as my office.in the days before mobiles i used to give the number of one of the two phoneboxes outside for people to contact me.reading a lot of revisionist history about those days now.seems to me that in a skin/mod stronghold,as it very much was,the only other person dying their hair was the legend Gary Drew.Downtown was great,but it wasn't the 'fountain'. Comment: GLENN MACFARLANE-VAGE
Loved the Romford Branch. Went through a stage where I used to buy virtually everything from the Punk/oi section. Broke my heart when it closed. Often wonder happened to the Skinhead bloke with all the piercings? Comment: Dan Herbert.
Jeff Anonymous "I was that skinhead with all the piercings back in 1980\1985" ( April 26, 2016)
(May 19, 2014) Moonboy said:Used to sit in the doorway of the Ilford branch in the early eighties waiting for Chris to open the store on delivery days, I always got a cup of tea and first dibs on items as they came out of the box. Bauhaus - The skys gone out with free live LP and poster being a big memory. This was weekdays when I was on the dole. Weekends once I started working saw me and fellow Kallous Boy - Vincent Van Hire make our way to the Romford store where we would invairably divvy up the new punk 7" singles one of us buying the latest releases on No Future and the other buying all the releases on Riot City Records! I dread to think how much money I spent in Downtown but to be honest I always left happy and still have a fair chink of the Vinyl I bought there. I reckon Downtown at that point were my favourite record store alongside Rough Trade at Notting Hill and Small Wonder at Walthamstow. I am off to chuck a couple of Cravats singles on the turntable and pretend I am 17 again
(Apr 23, 2014) Paul Bakewell said:Bagged a new/ mint copy of Small Faces Ogdens (original press with round cover) in the sale for 69p in Romford !
(Apr 9, 2014) Anonymous said:fantastic. what memories seeing that red downtown bag again
(June 7, 2013) Anonymous said:Brilliant shop in Romford. When a new record I was after came out I'd finish school, jump on a 248, get off, straight into Downtown, buy it then get straight back home on the 248, perusing the sleeve, inner sleeve and vinyl (including runn off notes!). Great Indie 7 inch section down the back. I managed to pick up the first Wonder Stuff single (Wonderful day) of which there were only 1000 made. Most of my sadly departed Madness records came from here too. Every trip to Romford on a Saturday was built around Downtown...our price and parrot never really cut it!
(Feb 13, 2013) Preston Morley said:Worked in Downtown in Romford from '79 to '81 on Saturdays and school holidays. Used to get 50p an hour for a 10 hour shift and no lunch break! Loved it though - a really cool place to work.
(Jan 30, 2013) mikey said:remember the guys years ago use to work gravesend market nice guys
(Jan 1, 2013) Paul Cooper said:Downtown in Romford accounted for most of my school dinner money in the late 70s/early 80s. I'd buy very punk single released each week and plenty of LPs too. I'd love some photos if anybody has any to share. Recently found a Downtown 7" carrier bag whilst digging through records in a charity shop.
(Feb 6, 2015) Some of the best days of my life as co- owner of DOWNTOWN. Comment: Clive Spelman
(November 3, (2015)....the happiest days ever. Romford - Dumc & Mick christened me 'Peanut' on the first evening after school I worked and it stuck. Wednesday & Friday 4pm till close. Saturday 8am till whenever. £6 Clive ; co-owner with your brother Paul who ran Romford. Have in mind that ELO were your favoured band at the time ? Dave'Woodstock' Milner bought Romford as the focus became 'Rumours' . Happy times. Comment: Andy Briggs.
( Jan 28, 2016) I was co-owner of Downtown with my brother Paul ... Heady days 😄
( Jan 30, 2016) Clive, I remember you well. As well as Romford I came over a couple of times to Brentwood. You shouted a lot as I recall.... But always with a twinkle in your eyes. Best wishes Andy (Peanut).
Ian Rudall "Bought so many albums and singles from the Basildon branch in the 70's.I was just discovering "real" music and was backtracking on Bowie,Hawkwind Uriah Heep etc.Later on it was where I'd buy all the latest punk and reggae music.
Seeing the bags and especially the gold stickers brings back so many memories of those musically exciting times." ( April 18, 2016)
Name Dave Raeburn Comment Where it all started!! Used to spend all day Saturday in Brentwood store. ( July 21, 2016)
Name Stuart Hamilton Comment: Best job ever working downtown Ilford and Wembley market alongside Clive and Paul Spelman . Happy days really miss it. ( Sep 2, 2016)
Name Mike Harris Comment I used to visit the Romford branch in the late seventies. Not much pocket money so used to by random discounted singles and square mirrored badges. Rolling Stones 'lips' a favourite Used to have a sly look at the cover of Roxy's 'Country Life' in there too! (Nov 4, 2016)
Name Duncan Barnes Comment: Just discovered this page, fantastic.... I worked in the Romford shop from 1975 to 1982 and loved every minute; could write a book about the place but Paul and Clive might sue! Remember all the names of the people mentioned here and more. (hello Peanut, wondered what happened to you! - remember us taping you to a chair and putting you on the counter?!) what happened to Nobby and Mick Zip - anyone know? Hello Clive! - still drinking them all under the table? - we should meet up and carry on...! Better go before I get into trouble with my memories(I'm still selling records by the way) Best to all. (Dec 6, 2016).
Name Ken Parsons Comment: Just had this forwarded on to me. What can I say? Downtown Records,what memories! Am very touched that people out there still remember, and still care. The picture of the oblong gold sticker is the second version. The first was a small round one, about the size of a 1p piece. It was black and white, and depicted a girls face with her hand resting under her chin, just like the one on the black and white image of the bag.It was said to resemble the face of the then wife of one of the owners (hello Annette). I started work with them just as the Billericay branch came into being. Noel Edmonds opened the shop, and it brought the High Street to a standstill! From there I became the manager of the Westcliff branch. Yes, I was the one responsible for selling 'bootlegs'to special customers. Very naughty back then! Like you Duncan, I too could write a book (and make a film) about a lot of what went on. Just like to add, good job the bonnet of a Bentley was strong! But had better keep most of this to myself. The Spelman brothers can probably afford better lawyers than me! Hello, Clive, Paul,and Colin. We had some crazy times. Some of the best times of my life! I got to know customers who became great friends,and I am still in contact with today. I can honestly say I do not regret a single day that I worked for them. It was a gas. The memories still bring back floods of tears (from laughter), even after all these years. I used to have a pet snake, and somehow ended up with the nickname 'python'. A lot of the staff had nicknsmes, so I was not alone! So does anyone out there know what happened, to Dave Pegg,(manager of the Ilfo rd branch),Chris Sandy (manager of the Basildon branch),Dave Milner,aka 'Woodstock', (manager of the Romford branch)? Also the following staff: Gary,aka 'Plod', Gary Fairburn,aka 'Jaws', Alan Jones,aka 'Killer', Steve Ellis, Paul Keys, Barry Stanton,Steve Div, Trevor Beaman, and John and Lance who worked at Westcliff with me. Also Fred and Pinky, the market divs. Guess I better shut up for now. If you do have any info, please post it. Thank you all for your memories. Ken Parsons,aka Kenny Python. (Jan 1, 2017)
Name Mark Luffman Comment: I was red bag generation, worked the market stalls with Dave (who apparently was known as 'Woodstock', but not to me) Milner and Pinky 77/79 - Gravesend Saturday, Wembley Sunday (I used to sleep over at Dave's place Saturday nights where I'd stickybeak his collection - two of every Dylan record) and (my home town) Swanley on Wednesdays. Lots of great memories, and still have records bought there that mean so much to me they made the trip with me when I came to live down under. Street Corner Symphony by Carrie Lucas, in the masterbag with Dave's writing on the label. (March 9, 2017)
Name Aleks Kotulski Comment: Nice page, good memories. Hi to Clive, Chris, Dave based in Brentwood '74-'79 with spells on the market Clive's and drops to Basildon, Westcliff in my Humber. Worked for vinyl which I guess we all did and still have it.
Thanks guys who looked out for my brother Mark after I left. Spent three tours in the states. Heard Dave was based in Rhodes.
Guess the vinyl is making a comeback through supermarkets at £16 - time for a reunion! (March 29, 2017)
Name gary h Comment: I used downtown records in Romford from 1972-first album I bought was Doremifasollatido-Hawkwind with poster-used all my paper round money on vinyl and always jumped on an 86 bus on Saturdays straight to the shop-no outlet in Romford came close in finding the lps I wanted-great memories of those days.
Name dr doom Comment: How well i remember the billericay store,early seventies. spent many happy hours in there, and a shed load of cash. Uriah Heep, Moodies, Bowie, Tull, Wishbone Ash, Van Der Graaf Generator etc, etc. and i still have them all. also remember the two gorgeous girls who worked there, one blone, t'other brunette, never learned their names. fantastic knowledge of the albums they sold. nice bums too! i wish them well. (May 23, 2017)
Eddie Piller 2017 The Soul Survivors
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