The vinyl countdown

While it's difficult to feel too sorry for Virgin and HMV as they struggle to try and find a role in the future, the plight of independent record shops is heartbreaking. Even the best of them are starting to struggle: Spillers Records in Cardiff, believed to be the oldest record shop still in business, is being threatened by increased rent demands from their landlords.

The rent is being ratcheted up because the opening of two soulless shopping centres have suddenly made Spillers' location desirable, and as a thank you to the store for having kept faith with the location for over 100 years, they're being given the bum's rush.

The Manic Street Preachers are just the top of a very outraged tree:

"Spillers was a lifeline, it gave us our musical education. The only record shop in Wales where we could find the music that made us who we are."

Petitions are being run up in a bid to stop the landlords from wrecking something important and valuable in Welsh musical heritage.

music spillers cardiff