A SCHEME for pop-up shops in Wallingford now has a new addition – a music store selling vinyl records.

Richard Strange used to run The Music Box in the Market Place until it closed in 2006.

Following a revival of interest in vinyl and an increase in sales the shop reopened in Castle Street on Monday.

It is the latest pop-up shop to open in the town, after the first one was launched earlier this year in High Street by retail expert Iain Nicholson.

He helped Wantage to win an award and was then hired by Wallingford Town Council and South Oxfordshire District Council to achieve similar success.

Town team co-ordinator Mr Nicholson has been working with market town co-ordinator Kate Rayner to reduce the number of empty units in the town from 12.

Father-of-two Mr Strange, from Didcot, said: “Vinyl is selling more now than any time in the past 15 years.

“The Music Box was in Wallingford for 25 years until it shut in 2006 and I ran it for 10 years until it closed.

“The vinyl will be half new and half second-hand so there will be collectables among them.

“We will sell online as well as in the shop and if there is a demand for us in Wallingford then we will stay.

“This shop premises will turn into a bar but there are other shop units in the town we could move to after that.”

Music fans have been looking forward to the return of The Music Box. Karen Lascelles wrote on the shop’s Facebook page: “I got my first record here too. Money, Money, Money by Abba.

“I didn’t really like it but they didn’t have Puff the Magic Dragon.”

In February department store Pettits launched a sale after announcing it would downsize with a number of job losses.

The store has now closed for refurbishment, with nine flats being built on the upper floor and will reopen in the spring or summer of next year.

Pettits has three pop-up shops in the town, for ladieswear, menswear, and health food, and toys are being sold from the hardware store Champions in St Mary’s Street, which is owned by Pettits.

Mr Nicholson said: “The pop-up shop in High Street has worked well for a number of businesses including arts and crafts, and vintage fashion.

“Now Mr Strange is opening up The Music Box again in a pop-up shop to test the market.

“He is working with a private landlord and I think his return demonstrates how well pop-up shops can work – he wants to see if he can establish his business on a more permanent basis.”

Astley’s music store in the Market Place closed in 2011 and the shop unit became a Costa Coffee.