HMV in administration: Music fans and Hillsborough justice campaigners pay tribute to store’s place in Merseyside history

Jan 16 2013 by Steve Graves, Liverpool Echo

MORE than 100 Merseyside workers today face an uncertain future after entertainment giant HMV slid into administration.

The ailing firm’s troubles also left music fans and artists across the region in nostalgic mood as they reflected on the chain’s impact over the years.

HMV: A history in pictures

Jan 15 2013

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From serving as a popular hangout for youngsters in its former Church Street home to helping promote the fight for justice over the Hillsborough disaster, HMV has a place in the hearts of generations of Merseysiders.

Stores in Liverpool One, Speke, Southport, St Helens, Birkenhead and Warrington provide more than 100 jobs which now hang in the balance as efforts are made to find a buyer for the company.

The Farm singer Peter Hooton, lynchpin of the Justice Collective behind Christmas number one He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother, said: “If we were to lose HMV it would be a tremendous loss.

“The support we had from HMV for the single, and for Fields Of Anfield Road which was released for the 20th anniversary of Hillsborough in 2009, was fantastic.

“Symbolically the Liverpool One shop was the ideal place for the launch, given its location and the attention it would attract.”

HMV made no profits on sales of the single, which reached 27,000 in the Liverpool One store alone.

Mr Hooton added: “Meeting the staff at the launch it was clear they knew there were problems, but they couldn’t have been more helpful.

“The support I have had down the years has been fantastic. I understand some of the criticism from people who prefer independent record shops but sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”

Yesterday hopes were high a deal could be struck to save some or all of the chain, with administrator Deloitte keeping all stores open as it sought a buyer.