Andrew Warshaw meets the man behind a new second-hand record shop in Crews Hill

Mark Wootton has been collecting records since he was eight

Many of you will know that there has been a vinyl record explosion in recent years, with second-hand shops springing up in towns and cities across the country.

Just as in the 1960s and 70s, vinyl is again all the rage, with record sales in some areas outstripping those of CDs! And now Enfield has its very own store.

Tucked away in a corner of Crews Hill, Enfield Records opened a few months ago and stocks all manner of LPs, twelve-inch discs and 45s, from soul to jazz, reggae to rock, house to Motown – covering virtually every decade.

The store, based at Browns Garden Village off Theobalds Park Road, is run by Mark Wootton, an avid vinyl fan whose tiny shop – open from 10am-5pm, Wednesday to Sunday – is a veritable treasure trove, with prices as low as £1 rising to close to three figures for the store’s most prized assets.

“I’ve been collecting records since I was eight,” said Oxfordshire-born Mark, who now lives in Enfield. “There’s a second-hand shop in Winchmore Hill and another in Palmers Green but there’s nothing in Enfield apart from the charity shops.”

Enfield Records also stocks a selection of CDs but vinyl is the main selling point. “I basically have every genre available,” said Mark. “I’ve always wanted to have a second-hand record shop and obviously the resurgence of vinyl helps, but I would have done it anyway.

“You may be surprised to know that I get a lot of youngsters coming in. Some of them buy stuff from the 60s, 70s and 80s, perhaps influenced by their parents. Browns is not in the main drag of Crews Hill but interest is growing.”

To enhance sales, Mark offers a special loyalty card to customers. “If you spend a minimum £5 in the shop ten times, you get £10 off your next purchase.”

What’s not to like?

Enfield Records can be found at Browns Garden Village, Theobalds Park Road, Enfield EN2 9DG:
Call 07864 657 656

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