SCORES of music fans queued through the early hours in Wimborne, as part of international Record Store Day.

The annual event, established to provide a shot-in-the-arm for independent music stores, also promotes the importance of vinyl records.

Around 50 people queued outside Wimborne’s Square Records, ahead of its Saturday morning opening.

A handful of these fans, eager to get their hands on some of the exclusive vinyl releases available this year, even camped out in the High Street the night before.

Square Records had 250 releases stocked, exclusively available.

Among the most popular was Abba’s Voulez Vous, on 12-inch, a 7-inch David Bowie Starman picture disk, and Coldplay’s Up With The Birds single.

Store owner Paul Holman, pictured left, said: “The idea behind this event is to let independent stores have exclusive releases for this one day.

“These releases don’t go anywhere else – they’re not available on the internet nor other shops.”

The store also marked the day with live performances by local singer/songwriter Hannah Robinson and Bournemouth band Saturday Sun.

Hannah, who is working on her first album, told the Daily Echo: “I’m hoping one day my record will be on sale within these walls.”

Paul described this year’s event as a celebration of vinyl as well as the independent record store.

“Of course, things have changed greatly,” he explained. “In the past there were independent record stores in every town, now there are just a few of us left.

“Go back a few years and almost everyone had really good hi-fi’s. They were listening to the music the way the bands wanted them to. Today, the quality of these downloads is simply not that good.

“Kids just download a track then move onto the next one – they’re not being loyal to bands and that seems a shame.

“For the first time in a long time, we have seen kids coming in and buying vinyl again today.”

VITAL FOR VINYL FANS

• MUSIC fan Mark Holland, aged 45, Wimborne, said: “This shop is really important to me as I still buy vinyl.

“I was among the queue last year but I thought I’d wait until later in the day this time.”

• SINGER and guitarist Alex Hedley, from Bournemouth-band Saturday Sun, said: “Shops like these independent ones are really important. There’s a great atmosphere here as well.”

• LOCAL singer/songwriter Hannah Robinson, said: “It is absolutely essential for independent music shops like this to continue, as they sell stuff that mainstream shops don’t."