Manchester, the Potteries, Birmingham and Leicester

Vinyl Resting Place

Northern Quarter · Rock, World · $$

Hidden upstairs in Afflecks Palace, with a strong Japanese City Pop selection and gems in the 7-inch boxes.

Tip: Dig through the 7-inch boxes under the racks — regulars say the best finds hide there.

3rd Floor, Afflecks, 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW, UK

Vinyl Exchange

Northern Quarter · Metal, Rock, Punk/Indie · $$

Spacious shop with a genuinely strong metal section and a broad new-release lineup.

Tip: Ask Duncan downstairs if you need help — he's known for going the extra mile.

18 Oldham St, Manchester M1 1JN, UK

CLAMPDOWN RECORDS

Northern Quarter · Rock, Punk/Indie · $$

Strong classic rock and pop selection alongside music memorabilia, magazines, and t-shirts.

Tip: Worth striking up a conversation with the owner about his collection — regulars say it's a good chat.

9-11 Paton St, Manchester M1 2BA, UK

Rubber Soul Records

Hanley · General, Rock, Punk/Indie · $

Packed Hanley shop with tens of thousands of used records across rock, punk, jazz, indie and soul. The owner does not sell online, so the stock is for walk-in customers.

Tip: Stock is stacked densely, so allow a couple of hours. Closed Tuesdays and Sundays.

19 Marsh St S, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 1JA, UK

Music Mania

Piccadilly, Hanley · General · $$

Independent music retailer in Hanley with new and second-hand vinyl alongside a larger CD range, and well known locally for supporting local bands and venues.

Tip: The CD section is bigger than the vinyl section; its website lists current stock.

3-6 Piccadilly, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 1DL, UK

Global Groove Records

Bucknall New Road, Hanley · Electronic/Techno, General · $$

Record shop in Stoke-on-Trent.

Tip: Listed as open weekdays only. Staff will demo records for newcomers.

13 Bucknall New Rd, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 2BA, UK

Ignite Records

Great Western Arcade · Rock, Metal, Punk/Indie · $$

Independent in the Great Western Arcade with a strong alternative leaning: rock, metal and indie, backed by an owner who knows the stock well. It traded in Oasis Market before moving here.

Tip: Small unit but deep racks. Closed Sundays, and it closes at 5:15 PM on weekdays.

31, Great Western Arcade, Birmingham B2 5HU, UK

Swordfish Records

Dalton Street, city centre · General, Rock · $$

Independent shop on Dalton Street since 1979, mixing the latest releases with classic LPs, second-hand vinyl, 45s and CDs.

Tip: Only open Wednesday to Saturday, so plan the day around it.

66 Dalton St, Birmingham B4 7LX, UK

The Diskery

Bristol Street, Southside · General, Jazz, Soul/Funk · $$

Long-running Bristol Street shop billed as England's oldest record store, with a wide spread of new and used vinyl plus a big stock of singles downstairs.

Tip: Closed Sundays. Staff will play a used record for you before you buy, and the recent-arrivals and promo boxes are worth checking first.

92 Bristol St, Birmingham B5 7AH, UK

Seismic Records

Windsor Place · General · $$

First-floor independent shop in Royal Leamington Spa stocking all genres, with the owner happy to order in anything he lacks. Record Store Day is a busy one here.

Tip: Entrance is upstairs. Closed Mondays and Sundays.

1st Floor, Windsor Pl, Royal Leamington Spa, Leamington Spa CV32 5EN, UK

Head Records

Royal Priors Shopping Centre · General, Rock · $$

Shopping-centre record shop with a big range of new LPs and CDs and a smaller second-hand vinyl and singles section.

Tip: Compared by one visitor to a classic high-street music store, so expect more new stock than crate-digging.

Royal Priors, Shopping Centre, Royal Leamington Spa, Leamington Spa CV32 4XU, UK

Leamington Record Store

Spencer Street · General · $$

Neatly organised shop with a wide spread of new and second-hand vinyl and CDs, including a sale section.

Tip: Opens at 11:00 AM, which suits a train arrival from Birmingham or Coventry.

13 Spencer St, Royal Leamington Spa, Leamington Spa CV31 3NE, UK

Out Of Joint Records

Silver Arcade · General, Electronic/Techno · $$

First-floor shop in the Silver Arcade with used records from several decades, including old-school house, and a turntable for sampling before you buy.

Tip: Entrance is up a floor inside the arcade.

First Floor, 8 Silver Arcade, Leicester LE1 5FA, UK

Beat Route

Cank Street · Rock, General · $$

Small Leicester shop selling records, CDs and merch, plus some guitar accessories, run by an owner customers describe as very knowledgeable.

Tip: Cank Street is a short step from the Silver and Malcolm Arcades.

17a Cank St, Leicester LE1 5GX, UK

Rockaboom

Malcolm Arcade · Rock, Punk/Indie · $$

Long-running Leicester vinyl and CD shop, now in Malcolm Arcade after several moves over the years.

Tip: Plan time for a proper trawl; the arcade is a few steps from other Leicester record shops.

18 Malcolm Arcade, Leicester LE1 5FT, UK

Hours not listed. Call ahead before you go.