A York institution, Banks Musicroom in Lendal, is to close.

The iconic music store, which stocks musical instruments, sheet music, and vinyl records and is understood to date back more than 250 years in York, is to cease trading on March 17.

News of the closure prompted a flood of comments on The Press website: 'truly a sad day'; 'very sad news, I bought my first big keyboard here about 20 years ago'; 'I am gutted to read this and I wish I wasn't broke so I could support them. It's such a haven for musicians'.

Musicroom, which owns the shop, is part of the Hal Leonard group, which confirmed the closure on February 20 as part of plans to restructure its Musicroom consumer business in the UK and Ireland.

According to Explore York Library and Archives, 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.

Many Banks staff became institutions, working at the shop for decades. They include Ken Stabler, who retired in 2002 after 44 years; Malcolm Smart, who retired in 2013 after nearly 40 years; and Brian King, who hung up his hat in 2005 after 45 years in the music business - 18 of them at Banks.

Many readers, we're sure, will have their own favourite stories about this wonderful store.

We would love to hear from you about your memories - and with any old photos you have. Simply email stephen.lewis@thepress.co.uk

Meanwhile, here are a few photos we dug out from our own archives (with thanks, too, to Explore York)...