'Heartwarming' response to Bristol's Idle Hands closure

An established record store owner in Bristol said the support he had received since announcing it was closing has been "heart-warming".

Chris Farrell, who runs the city's Idle Hands, said Covid, Brexit and now the cost-of-living crisis had resulted in "a big drop" in customers.

A crowdfunder to raise £2,000 towards the closure has raised about £10,000 and might even make a new store viable.

"It puts a spring in my step and makes me want to carry on," said Mr Farrell.

"I just feel worn out now because I've been trying to keep things going, but you have to stay positive," he added.

He said he saw the money as "a way to help us get through the next few months".

"If not it will help me wind up the business in a timely manner."

Mr Farrell added: "It's just heart-warming to see that we have a level of support like that."

The business owner said he hoped to move premises, which is currently on City Road in St Paul's, to a new location with higher footfall.

"I've been looking at moving for a while.

"Finding the right place hasn't been easy," he continued.

Mr Farrell has been running Idle Hands for 11 years and said: "What's really hit us has been losing our EU trade because of the hoops we have to jump through now.

"Coming out the other end of the pandemic has been more difficult than the pandemic itself."

Mr Farrell said the shop had always supported local music.

"I've always wanted to push artists and other people instead of myself.

"We've always stocked people's records from Bristol and got behind them and tried to have quite an outward looking ambition, showing the rest of the world the music that happens in this city."

He said the shop had lost a lot of footfall because of a "demographic change in the area".

"Seeing the outpouring from the city, it's a reminder that we have a following here and further afield," he added.

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