Dundee Record Fair has come to an end after 40 years following the retirement of its sole organiser.
George Robertson, who has run the fair since the death of Alastair ‘Breeks’ Brodie in 2019, says he is too old to keep organising the event.
The 74-year-old lives in Edinburgh, meaning he has to wake up at 5am and make a round trip of roughly three hours for each fair at Marryat Hall inside the Caird Hall.
Unable to find new organiser for Dundee Record Fair
George launched an appeal to find a new organiser in September however he was unable to find anyone suitable.
The vinyl enthusiast, who held his last fair on October 2, said: “I’m based in Edinburgh and it really should be run by someone in Dundee.
“I hoped somebody would take it over but as of yet nobody has.
“I’m an old guy now, I don’t want to keep getting up at 5am and driving to Dundee.
“I’m not putting an end to it because of a lack of interest, it’s just a personal decision.
“We still get 200 to 250 visitors on a good day.”
Record fair is thought to be Scotland’s longest-running
The fair, which started in the 80s and were held around six times per year, is thought to be the longest-running in Scotland.
George believes its closure may mark the end of an era for Scottish vinyl shopping.
He said: “I’m disappointed nobody came forward.
“The Caird Hall is a little expensive to hire but you get a great venue and great service.
“The staff are really helpful.
“Maybe the days of record fairs – like antique fairs – are over.
“I was happy to retire on a high.
“I’m glad I did it. I’ll always have fond memories of the fair.
“Dundee still has great shops like Thirteen Records and Assai Records, so punters can still get their vinyl fix there.”
‘If someone wants to start organising it again, I’m happy to give them the details’
Despite ending his involvement, George says he’s happy to pass all his planning and contacts on to anyone else willing to start it up again.
He added: “It’s a viable music fair that’s been running for over 40 years.
“If someone wants to start organising it again, I’m happy to give them all the details.”
The music-lover also says while he’s retiring for now, his involvement in Dundee’s vinyl scene might not be entirely over.
He said: “This is still just in my head, I haven’t talked to the Caird Hall about it yet, but at some point I might come back and organise one-off fairs once or twice a year.
“There’s nothing planned at the moment though.”
Anyone interested in continuing the fair can contact George on 07947 675988 or email gyrandmore@hotmail.com
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