Banquet Records

Record shop and music label in London, England

This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. Please help improve it by replacing them with more appropriate citations to reliable, independent sources. (August 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Banquet Records

Banquet Records Logo

Company type| Limited company
Industry| Retail
Genre| Independent Record Shop
Founded| 2002
Headquarters| 52 Eden Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1EE

Area served

| South West London

Key people

| Jon Tolley & Mike Smith - Owners
Products| CDs, Vinyl Records
Owner| Jon Tolley and Mike Smith[1]
Website| banquetrecords.com

Banquet Records is a record shop in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London. Formerly part of the Beggars Banquet Records retail chain, it became fully independent in 2002. It stocks a broad range of music on both vinyl and CD. The establishment is also home to Gravity DIP music management, as well as the Banquet Records record label.[2]

## History

[edit]

Started as part of the Beggars Banquet chain of record stores before becoming fully independent in 2002. The store was sold to the then manager, however decreased profits led the store to near bankruptcy towards the end of 2004.[3]

In February 2005,[4] Banquet Records was taken over by new owners; previous employees of the Beggars store, Jon Tolley and Mike Smith.[1][5]

In 2013, 2017, 2020 and 2021, the store won Music Week's award for best independent retailer of the year.[6][7][8]

## Services

[edit]

The store uses its slogan "More than just your local record store"[9] to provide services other than the sale of music, as it also runs various concerts, club nights and in-stores in and around Kingston upon Thames. The use of slogan has been described as such: "The premise outlined in their advertising strap line is simple: 'More than your local record store'. And it is incredibly apt. Not just content with supplying Kingston's art school students and music aficionados with their favourites, Banquet Records has firmly placed itself at the heart of this vibrant town's music scene."[10]

It stocks music on both vinyl and CD but mainly specialises in new music from indie, punk, emo, electronica, house, drum 'n' bass and hip hop and funk genres.[11] As well as selling Vinyl Records and CDs, the store also sells merch, record players, record boxes and general vinyl accessories.

The store takes part in Record Store Day, an annual celebration of independent record stores.[12]

## Promotions

[edit]

### In-stores

[edit]

Banquet Records regularly features in store performances. Bands that have performed in store at Banquet include: Beans On Toast, Shed Seven, Nadine Shah, Scouting for Girls, Kojey Radical, Mayday Parade; Title Fight; Frank Iero; The Flatliners; Gnarwolves; Lemuria; Knuckle Puck; Jimmy Eat World; Moose Blood; Great Cynics; Apologies, I have none; and Trash Boat.[13]

### Other shows

[edit]

Banquet Records also holds separate one-off shows in and around Kingston showcasing some of the biggest bands in the country.[14] The majority are held at PRYZM Kingston or in-store with additional shows at St John's Church and The Fighting Cocks.[15] The Store hosted a Blink-182 concert at the Rose Theatre, which it claimed was the store's biggest show, for the lead up to the band's new album.[16]

Other major artists to have played in Kingston at shows organised by Banquet include Rod Stewart,[17] Madness, Rita Ora, Stormzy,[18] The Who, Johnny Marr,[19] Craig David, Biffy Clyro, The Specials, Gary Barlow,[20] Gorillaz, Fall Out Boy, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Shania Twain,[21] Jungle and Paloma Faith.

## Record label

[edit]

The Banquet Records shop is also home to a music label of the same name.[22][23] It has issued music by UK artists, sometimes to support tours. It also release foreign artist which don't have UK distribution deals. The label was created by the current owners of the shop. They were actually running the label before they bought the shop in 2004.[24] Artists released include:

* Modern Baseball[25]
* Lightyear[26]
* Tonight Alive[27]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "How Banquet Records turned a failing music shop into the beating heart of a local scene". 16 April 2016.
2. ^ "BANQUET GRAVITY DIP LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk.
3. ^ "Banquet Records. | Mint Magazine". Mint Magazine. Archived from the original on 18 December 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
4. ^ Jones, Dan. "Features - all the juicy bits!". Rockmidgets.com. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
5. ^ "Banquet Records. - Mint Magazine". www.mintmagazine.co.uk. Archived from the original on 18 December 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
6. ^ ""It was busier than we could have ever imagined": Inside Record Store Day 2017".
7. ^ Andre Paine (21 September 2020). "Music Week Awards 2020 winners revealed". Music Week.
8. ^ James Mayer (17 September 2021). "UK's 'best record shop' is tucked away in this corner of South London". MyLondon.
9. ^ "Banquet Records.com". Banquet Records.com. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
10. ^ "Record Store Day - Countdown Day 2 | Clash Music Exclusive General". Clashmusic.com. 10 April 2009. Archived from the original on 4 August 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
11. ^ "Banquet Records ". Banquet Records. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
12. ^ "Banquet Records". Banquet Records. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
13. ^ "Banquet Records | In-Stores". Banquet Records. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
14. ^ Marcus Wratten (22 August 2021). "The tiny shop that's turned Kingston into London's answer to Glastonbury". MyLondon.
15. ^ "Banquet Records | Shows & Clubs". Banquet Records. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
16. ^ "Banquet Records | Blink-182". Banquet Records. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
17. ^ Andrew Perry (27 February 2024). "Rod Stewart with Jools Holland: a jaded dollop of album promotion? An unmitigated joy, more like". The Telegraph.
18. ^ Tom Skinner (30 November 2022). "Stormzy announces two intimate shows at PRYZM in Kingston". NME.
19. ^ Jake Holden (4 March 2022). "The Smiths' lead guitarist Johnny Marr comes to Kingston". SW Londoner.
20. ^ Orlando Jenkinson (19 April 2021). "New date for Gary Barlow in Kingston this September". Surrey Comet.
21. ^ Eli Haidari (8 February 2023). "Blink and you'll miss her! Shania Twain Kingston tickets sell out in seconds". Kingston Nub News.
22. ^ "Banquet Records". Banquet Records. Archived from the original on 25 May 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
23. ^ "Features - all the juicy bits!". 25 March 2016. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016.
24. ^ Andrews, Interview by Charlotte Richardson (18 February 2015). "'HMV is not our enemy': 10 rules for running a record shop". The Guardian - via www.theguardian.com.
25. ^ "Modern Baseball - Sports". Banquet Records. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
26. ^ "Lightyear (2) - Chris Gentlemen's Hairdresser And Railway Book Shop". Discogs.
27. ^ "Banquet Records | Consider This EP". Banquet Records. Retrieved 6 June 2016.