Ben's Collectors Records

Name: Ben Darnton
Comment: I've spent the last 20 years in here and I still love it. You never know what is going to arrive in store next, which is what keeps me interested. I organise the Guildford record fair every couple of months in the nearby Guildhall in the High Street which is a hoot; free admission and 20 stalls of discs.
(10 January 2013)

Name: Dave
Comment: Ben's of course is still going strong. The store is only properly alive when Ben is behind the counter, which fortunately is most of the time. Over the many years I've shopped there I have found many gems that had been on my list since, like so many, I stupidly sold the bulk of my vinyl collection in favour of the then new CD.
(11 September 2012)

Comments

Dave Harwood

02 Aug 2023 at 02:01

The photo of the shop with brown paint on a corner position (with 101 West Street over the doorway), was the first location of Ben’s Collectors Records in Farnham, Surrey from 1991 to November 1993, after which the shop relocated to Guildford.
Search results from the British Newspaper Archive website found these articles:
“Getting established in Farnham is Ben’s Collectors Records. Ben opened up about two months ago and his shop seems to be proving quite a hit with the locals! The shop caters for all tastes in music from Heavy Metal to Folk, Rap to Soul, Jazz to Country and Western.”
(Esher News and Mail, 23rd October 1991)
“RECORD collectors searching Surrey shops for rare oldies can add another name to their list of places to delve into. BEN’S collectors records at West Street, Farnham has become an Aladdin’s cave of bygone treasures.”
(Surrey Mirror, 1st April 1993)
“BEN'S COLLECTORS RECORDS 1000s of LP's 45's TAPES CD's VIDEOS BOOKS. Bring in your “Wants” list! 101 WEST STREET, FARNHAM, SURREY Tel (0252) 734409 Open Monday-Saturday 9.30 am-6 pm.”
(Esher News and Mail, 7th April 1993)