(Apr 6, 2014) VanMan said:Penny and Brian were the owners of the original Folkestone shop. They always had the best stock of limited releases. They had great displays especially if there was a new Queen or Iron Maiden release I seem to recall. As a shop that returned sales data to the chart compilers the shop received the 'best service' from record companies.
(Mar 14, 2014) Paul foster said:I think that the guy was called Andy. bought many depeche mode records in there from 1987 onwards until the shop closed .
(Mar 14, 2014) Paul foster said:Wouldbe incredible if these shops ever returned to the high st. Vinyl is on the up. Keep it going !!
(Mar 14, 2014) Paul foster said:Brilliant shop. Always in there week in week out . Mostly Dover near the town hall. Bought many 12" singles in there . It was plantation records before it became hummingbirds. The Folkestone one at the top of the old high st was great too, the guy that worked in there was a huge queen fan . Would always let you look in the newly delivered boxes so you could see and buy stuff before it was put on the shelves.
(March 3rd, 2015) Does anybody know what Andy from Humming Bird Records in Folkestone got up to after it shut down? Anybody know where he is now? Constant source of friendly advice and insight.
I still remember the very poignant note he left in the shut up shop window, in his distinctive handwriting, saying something along the lines that they could no longer effectively compete with Our Price further up the road, thanking loyal customers and citing the shame it was for people who eventually did walk back down the hill to find what Our Price could not or would not lead them to, left it to the point that their overdue walk to good old independent Humming Bird Records was now wasted…. I was back from university and really quite saddened when I walked up to the locked door.
Sadly prophetic insight into the future of lots of UK record shop businesses and in general the small minded consumer behavoiurs that will continue to affect our high streets. Comment: Angus G
Name Suze S Comment Andy is still in the area and you can find him on Facebook under Andy Skingle. He is still a top bloke. This shop was my lifeline to alternative music that you just couldn't get anywhere else In town. ( Nov 28, 2016)
Comment
I used to spend hours in this shop , it was fantastic . I loved my punk , but you could find anything in there . All the real music
Name
Lee Waterworth
(2020)
Comment
I was a 6th form student when I used to go in here in the early 1980s. I was into obscure Indy at the time (still am) and there was always opportunity to flick through some good stuff. I've still got a Cocteau Twins album in an original Hummingbird paper bag.
Name
Duncan Saunders
(2022)
Loved, loved, loved this shop! Spent most of my money there. Got to know the owners quite well as I ordered new releases of Duran Duran records. Got some promotional material there as well (DD cutouts) which I had to leave behind when I moved to Australia in 1985. I think her name was Penny? Anyway great memories
Marion when we took the lease over and turned it into humming bird records. I remember as we laid the carpet there where lots of lumps where we took the petitions down there where old bits of to nails and skin tucked in the holes. Lol I felt so sick as I was brushing it out with my hands. Lol
I got my first vinyl single in there and I paid 78p for it!!! That was the start of my friend Andrea and I going into Humming Bird every Saturday to buy records that were in the top 20. Still have my original 80’s vinyl collection all purchased from HB. Loved that shop and very much part of my teenager years!
The original owner of Hummingbird Records was Dave Stoddart. The first shop (in Dover) is where Andy worked for Dave. When the Folkestone shop opened, Andy managed it but Dave owned it. When the shops closed, Dave went on to manage Etchinghill golf club.