Owned by Colin Hirons, ex Widnes Rugby League player, The Music Shop supplied pre match and half-time music at Naughton Park (DCBL Stadium). Eventually succeeded by his children, other staff included manageress Margaret Rathbone, who was there for The Beatles visit.

After the ‘Love Me Do’ record signing at Dawsons on Saturday 6 October 1962, The Beatles then held the second of only four ever record signings at The Music Shop.

The third signing was 24 January 1963 at Brian Epstein’s North End Music Store, in Liverpool, with the release of the ‘Please Please Me’ single. A fourth signing was on 14 December 1963 at the Wimbledon Palais, London.

Allan Hudson who worked at the shop between 1978 and 1981 remembers it was more than a shop; it was a meeting place for young people. Attracting people who didn’t fit in anywhere else. Connections were made, bonding over the love of music, playing records in the shop, forming bands and going out together to gigs.

People were finding their music, and themselves. DJ’s starting nights at the Cherry Tree in Runcorn would come and select the best and latest music to play.  Allan says, ‘You had to be polite and knowledgeable about the music, take an interest, have conversations, give advice, customers would tell us about artists and tracks too.’