AFTER months without a specialist music shop, Accrington is now set to get two new stores.
Hyndburn's music lovers bemoaned the closure of Our Price after its 17-year stint in the town centre came to an end in January, but now Music Zone and Replay are both poised to turn up the volume.
Staff who lost their jobs with Our Price have been re-employed by Replay, run by a Preston-based businessman with a handful of other stores in the North West.
It has taken over the empty Arndale Centre unit and opened for business on Thursday.
Employee Lindsay Ormerod, 37, said: "People seem really excited and were trying to get in before we'd even opened."
"It is very nice to see the usual old faces."
"They are relieved to have somewhere to buy music again. It is great to be back, and we are just pleased Hyndburn residents aren't going to be left in the lurch anymore."
Arndale manager David Jones said he was delighted to have another music shop in the centre.
He said: "It's great news for everyone, and the centre too, because Our Price attracted lots of trade.''
Paperwork is also nearly complete for budget retailer Music Zone to take over an empty unit in Broadway, with a grand opening scheduled for late June or July.
Ross Grainger, Music Zone chairman, said: "It is all agreed but we have to get through the legal process and that should be sorted out in the next week or so, and then it's all systems go."
"We have never been involved in Accrington before. We wanted to be about three years ago but things didn't work out. We have stores in most of the North West's decent towns."
Music Zone has already started advertising for staff and plans to fit out the shop soon.
Bill Huntly, town centre manager, said: "We were very sad to see Our Price go, although its decision was no reflection on Accrington. It was just the group's policy and we were one of the victims of it."
"But it's great news that we have music shops back because the town has really missed it."
