Banks Musicroom, in Lendal, York city centre, to close

Banks Musicroom, in Lendal, is to cease trading on March 17.

The music shop - which is understood to date back more than 250 years in York - stocks musical instruments, sheet music, and vinyl records.

Musicroom is part of the Hal Leonard group, which confirmed the closures yesterday (February 20) as part of plans to restructure its Musicroom consumer business in the UK and Ireland.

Banks Musicroom, in Lendal, is to cease trading on March 17 (Image: Dylan Connell)

The full scale of the closures will also see Musicroom retail stores in Edinburgh, Exeter, Lincoln, and Stratford close – with just the company’s flagship store in Denmark Street, London, to remain open.

This news comes after the closure of popular York store Paperchase, located nearby in Coney Street.

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Following the closures, Musicroom has said it will increase its focus on growing the Musicroom.com e-commerce channel.

A notice on the York shop’s door said the store will be closing “due to market conditions”.

The notice read: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued custom and loyalty to our store despite the exceptional challenges of the past three years.”

The shop is thought to be the UK's oldest

According to York Explore Library and Archive, Banks Music Room is thought to be the UK's oldest music shop - first opened by Thomas Haxby on June 15, 1756, in Blake Street, York.

The business then changed hands after being sold to hairdresser and cellist, Samuel Knapton, and moved to an alternative premises in Blake Street, opposite York's Assembly Rooms.

It later passed to Knapton’s son Philip, and in 1803 moved to Coney Street.

In 1829, the business was transferred to William Hardman.

Following Hardman's death in 1855, Henry Banks took over the business and moved it to 2 Stonegate, before moving it again in 1904 to 58 Stonegate.

In 1985 the business relocated to 18 Lendal, where it is today.

A special in-store sales promotion will launch this week in all Musicroom locations, including in York, with offers across a range of products from leading brands.

Customers will also benefit from additional discounts and incentives on Musicroom.com when they buy in-store.

Tom Venvell, Managing Director - UK & Germany, said: “Musicroom retail stores have contributed significantly to our consumer business and wider UK music-making communities over many years, and our decision to restructure in this way has been very difficult.

“However, with sales and profitability impacted by challenging market conditions, and costs continuing to rise, we need to make these changes.

“Our focus now is on supporting affected teams and serving our customers through this period.

"We look forward to working with partners and suppliers as we grow Musicroom in new ways, and ensure our products continue to be part of every music-making journey.”