WHEN Thai restaurant chain Giggling Squid opened its first York branch in the former Banks Musicroom unit in Lendal on Monday, it marked the end of an era.
Banks – thought to be the oldest music store in the UK – and possibly the oldest shop in York, closed in March 2023.
It was first opened by Thomas Haxby in Blake Street in 1756 – the year Mozart was born.
As The Press has reported, it later 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, according to York Explore Library and Archive.
The business was then passed to Mr Knapton’s son, Philip, and in 1803 moved to Coney Street.
In 1829, the business was transferred to William Hardman.
Following Mr 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.
Banks Music store in the 1970s when it was the corner of Blake Street and Stonegate
And in 1985, the business relocated to 18 Lendal where it remained until 2023 when its parent company, the Hal Leonard group, announced it would close amid a drive to move business online.
250 years in business
When it reached its 250th anniversary in 2006, the then Banks store manager James Pertwee, wrote to The Press asking readers to confirm if the business might be the oldest retailing firm in York.
He wrote: “Banks is one of York’s oldest retail businesses. But which is the oldest? Is it Banks? I should be interested if readers can shed any light on this. I should also like to hear from anyone with interesting anecdotes about Banks in times gone by.”
Booming sales
The former family business was bought by the Musicroom Group in 2004.
The shop was given a £200,000 refurbishment and rebranding in 2010. It stocked items including sheet music and song books, instruments and accessories.
In 2016, The Press reported that business was booming for Banks, with a 12 per cent sales growth reported in April of that year.
End of an era
An announcement that it was to close in 2023, shocked York and upset many Press readers, with hundreds of people sharing fond memories of the music store on our social media pages.
But a new chapter is beginning for the premises in Lendal – lain empty for more than two years – as Giggling Squid opens for business this week.
We wish them well but wonder if they will be around in York for as long as Banks music shop.
