A NEW record stall at Stretford Mall, named after a classic song by The Smiths, is helping power the vinyl revival which currently has the country in a spin.

Despite dire predictions that vinyl would be scratched out by CDs, then MP3s, vinyl sales soared to an 18-year high in 2014, peaking at 1.29 million.

Nigel Young’s new stall is called Reel Around the Fountain Records in honour of a 1984 song by legendary Manchester band, The Smiths.

The Morrissey/Marr composition itself was said to have been inspired by the fountain – complete with live fish – once taking pride of place in Stretford Mall back in the 1970s.

Nigel, 45, said launching his own record shop comes as a the fulfilment of a long-standing dream which goes back to when he bought his own first record – a picture disc of a Sex Pistols hit– at the age of just seven and which he still has on the wall.“I grew up in pubs which my parents had in Manchester city centre, so I was close to all the famous clubs like the Hacienda and that fuelled my passion for music,” he explained.

“It was only when I sold a big bag of records for my father-in-law and we got £6,000 for some really rare ones that I realised there could be money in it.

“Four years ago I eventually took the plunge, gave up the teaching assistant job and started my own business online buying and selling records.

“Although that’s still doing very well, I decided recently it was time to make the dream of having my own record shop come true.

“Stretford Mall has been absolutely brilliant about it and given me lots of help with everything.

Nigel, who is married with three daughters and two sons and lives just a few minutes’ walk away from Stretford Mall, says his ever-growing music stock includes everything from Indie to Jazz and 60s pop to classical.

“It’s mainly vinyl recordings because that’s back in a big way now and is growing from strength to strength,” he said.

“It’s not just second-hand stuff either because more and more bands are now making vinyl recordings of their latest releases.

“It was supposed to have been replaced by cassettes, CDs and MP3s, but vinyl has refused to die.”

Apart from the racks of vinyl, Nigel is also offering music cassettes, along with a selection of music memorabilia such as programmes from gigs by the likes of Queen, the Rolling Stones and Kylie Minogue, and badges bearing the name of Pink Floyd.

His records range in price from just £1 right up to a rare test pressing of a 1980s re-issue of David Bowie’s eponymous first album from 1967 which he reckons is worth £200-300.