Badlands of Cheltenham throw up winning retailer

11:06 | Monday February 22, 2010

The result follows a public poll on www.indierecordshop.org, which offers an interactive map listing all of the UK’s remaining indie stores, together with information about exclusive products and PAs available only in these shops.

Badlands, which was founded in Cheltenham in 1986 by brothers Steven and Philip Jump, is known for its innovative new ideas, including setting up its own travel agency to offer trips to shows by the likes of Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones and U2, and creating its own unofficial Bruce Springsteen fan club.

What is more, Philip Jump says that, despite competition from downloads and services such as Spotify, his shop is selling “more CDs than ever at the moment”.

He says the secret to their success is “offering a personal service, emailing customers regularly with a great range of titles and also selling online.”.

Jump also explains that it is this customer loyalty that led the shop to win the award. “It is a great thing to be rewarded for it and it is a great thing to be voted number one by our customers.”

ERA director general Kim Bayley says, “We have been overwhelmed by the public reaction to the site which has revealed the genuine affection music fans feel towards indie shops. Badlands is a very worthy recipient of this honour.”

Jump says he will now spend the £200 prize money in the pub with the company’s nine employees.