Popular record shop in Downham Market set to shut

An independent, family-owned music and movies shop in Downham is closing after 45 years in town.

Just a couple of days after Lewks celebrated its 11th Record Store Day, the store announced its doors will close on June 2, at the end of its current lease.

Father and daughter duo Lawrence Welham and Danielle Welham-Smith, who run the shop in Wales Court, made the announcement on social media on Monday, and say they will “truly miss it all”.

They said: “This has been a huge and very hard decision for us both to make.

“With Lawrence’s impending 70th birthday fast approaching, retirement is well deserved, so it is with pure heartache that Danielle will not be carrying on Lewks once our current lease expires in June.

“We leave behind an entire lifetime of memories, which will remain with us forever, not to mention our fantastic customers, the wonderful reps, our staff over the years and all our friends.

“There are not many jobs in life where you can genuinely say you enjoy going to work every single day, but we both do, we love it and it will be a very sad day, we will miss it immensely. It’s been our lives.”

Despite the closure, the shop’s video to DVD transfer and web design services will continue.

The shop is holding their last ever disco at Downham Town Hall on Saturday, May 19 from 7.30pm to midnight.

Tickets for the 60s, 70s and 80s event can be bought for £10, in advance only, from Lewks.