Diverse Vinyl

Diverse Vinyl has traded from Charles Street in Newport since the shop first opened in 1988 under original owner John Richards. Paul Hawkins bought his first record there in the shop's opening week while still at school, joined as a part-time employee in 1995, and three years later bought the business with Mark and Kevin when Richards moved on. The shop has been based at its current Charles Street premises since 1999, stocking new and second-hand vinyl and CDs across rock, jazz, classical and electronic music, alongside audiophile hi-fi equipment and accessories. Staff run a regular podcast and blog covering new releases and reissues, and the shop takes part in Record Store Day each year. It remains a single-site retailer rather than a chain, roughly a ten-minute walk from Newport's train and bus stations. The shop opens Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm and is closed on Sundays and bank holidays.