(Jan 25, 2016) Sainsbury & Fisher Ltd were at 53 High St., Andover from 1951 until the town redevelopment when they moved to Union Street in the late 1960's.
Although a small shop, it was for many years the only place in the district to get specialised musical merchandise. The staff was mainly friendly and would indifferently put up with people just listening to records & not buying. Music was played in the department - no booths. One of the 1951 founders Maud Sainsbury (nee Clarke) had been connected with three former Andover music shops since just before WW I namely E. Price & Son (from Bournemouth, Est in Andover circe 1906) which were succeeded by A.D. Robbins in the mid 1920's which in turn became (the Andover branch of) Teague & King in 1932 until 1951. Sainsbury Fisher Ltd certainly had it's gentle following - many were the people that remember taking music lessons above the shop as well - and Pete Staples of the Troggs recalls getting his first Bass amp there. Regretably no pictures have so far surfaced of the memorable shop frontages. The store finally closed not long after Mr Uva Sainsbury died who together with Gilbert Fisher and his son John had provided a long radio, t.v. music and records Andover retailing service. Comment: Phil Farlow