Rating des Ortes: 5 Bayswater, London, United Kingdom
For my taste it’s the best record shop in the UK. Their website has been turning me onto good music from around the world for a few years. Sections vary in size but soul/funk/reggae and jazz have a good covering. African/house/techno/folk/blues a fair covering with hip-hop, rock and weird stuff making an appearance. It’s all pretty fairly priced too. I think there are more records than CDs but both are stocked as well as a few DVDs and books. Staff are helpful. Have a look at the website or pop in, highly recommended.
Lizzie S.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
If you didn’t know, Jon is Honest. He’s jsut this little shack in Notting Hill filled to brim with rare music. Mostly Reggae and old skool R n’B, they also hold a collection of local artist nestled in amongst the vinyl and CDs. I was taken here once by a boy, this boy was in a band and it was an oh so cool day out. We mooched around the market and stumbled upon this gem. We even found his records on the shelves, but apparently it’s uncool to point that out. In an area that is overwhelmed with the wealthy and tourists this is a hidden gem that shows you what Notting Hill was like before the movie, before Hugh Grant and his stupid hair cut ruined it all. Serious music lovers, don’t expect racks and racks for fabulous music. It’s a small selection of perfectly picked records that are icon and important and need to be heard. Die hard music fans only.
Prudence I.
Rating des Ortes: 4 London, United Kingdom
I’m really a fan of specialist music shops and this dusty old place is straight out of Notting Hill’s edgy 70s heyday, before the Sienna-alikes colonised. Nestled at the dodgy end of Portobello Road, where it becomes flea market territory, this shop specialises in Reggae, Soul and Jazz although it’s also got a great folk selection and some other eminently browsable odds and ends. It’s a mix of vinyl and CD and although it’s inevitably predominantly male and I was hesitant to ask for what I was looking for, it’s not too intimidating.