I'm a music shop owner and was thrilled when this 80s star visted me

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A surprise visitor turned up at an independent record shop in Cleveleys - and customer Alan Johnston couldn’t resist a quick photo.

Alan, 61, of Bispham, was browsing through the records in the Tiny Pug vinyls shop on Rossall Road when a familiar face stepped into the store.

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This other customer turned out to be comedian Syd Little, who lives in the area and runs the Little Restaurant and The Steamer pub in Fleetwood.

Syd Little outside the Tiny Pug Record shop in Cleveleys. Photo: Alan JohnstonSyd Little outside the Tiny Pug Record shop in Cleveleys. Photo: Alan Johnston
Syd Little outside the Tiny Pug Record shop in Cleveleys. Photo: Alan Johnston | Alan Johnston

Alan said: “I recognised Syd straight away and there he was, chatting about The Beatles.

“I’ve never met him before in my life but he was a lovely bloke, down to earth and super-friendly.

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“I asked him if I could take his photo outside the shop and he was only too pleased to help.”

Syd, 81, became a household name on national television as part of the double act Little and Large, with Mancunian Eddie Large, which ran from 1978 to 1991 and at its peak, pulled in audiences of around 17 million viewers each week

The pair also packed theatres across the land, including in Blackpool. Sadly Eddie died in 2020 from complications with Covid, aged 78, and their comedy partneship has been the subject of a tribute at the Showtown Museum in Blackpool.

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A surprise visitor called into The Tiny Pug record shop in CleveleysA surprise visitor called into The Tiny Pug record shop in Cleveleys
A surprise visitor called into The Tiny Pug record shop in Cleveleys | Tiny Pug Records

Record fan Alan, and comedian Syd, had independently made a beeline for the record shop as vinyl is continuing to make a comeback after falling out of favour in the 1990s and noughties, and Alan says: “The comeback is a nostalgia thing, largely.

“Poeple are worried about what’s going on in the world today and they're taking refuge in nice music from the past, when things seemed simpler and they have their fabulous memories.

“Plus, a lot of that older music is brilliant - I’m a soul boy myself.”

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Shop owner Joe Davis, 34, is too young to remember either the Little and Large Show or even the heyday of vinyl.

Some of the vinyl copies at Tiny Pug RecordsSome of the vinyl copies at Tiny Pug Records
Some of the vinyl copies at Tiny Pug Records | Some of the vinyl copies at Tiny Pug Records

He sells all genres of records in the shop and he said: “I love vinyl, I love the sound of it and the artwork and the packaging.

“Digital music - listening to it online, is literally nothing . I like to hold the record in my hand and feel that there’s something definite you can own.

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“Most of the people who buy vinyl records are older people but younger ones at doing it to,

“Look at me - I got into through my dad’s love of music and vinyl.

“I’m a David Bowie fanatic and discovering old Bowie records on vinyl has been brilliant. I’m still looking for new finds even now.”

The Tiny Pug record shop is at 7 Rossall Road and is open Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 4.30pm.

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