Video Shops in London

[Matt89]

Hey guys, so I'm gonna be in the UK this weekend for a couple weeks and was wondering if anyone from London knows any good shops to check out for BDs/UHDs. I know HMV is one of the major ones (which I'm really excited to check out - the last HMV closed in Canada in 2017 so it'll feel somewhat nostalgic walking into one after all these years) but if there's any other places I shouldn't miss I'd love to hear about them.

I primarily plan on hitting up a lot of touristy stuff but was wondering if any locals knew of some video shops to check out while I'm there. Gonna be there for 14 days so I have some time to kill lol.

[bleedandtrim]

FOPP in Covent Garden is the go-to - it's an offshoot of HMV but with more back-cat and less merch/ancillary goods. Also has plenty of sales (atm inc. 88 Films, Arrow, Final Cut to name a few).

Foyles up the road from it has a good selection of Eureka titles (which neither HMV nor FOPP stock in-store) and a great film books section.

Further up the road from the aforementioned are two CEX stores, primarily second-hand tech/games and with diminishing BD/DVD sections, but always worth a browse for the occasional bargain or OOP find.

Further out in Southbank is the British Film Institute with its own small store - not very competitive prices, but a nice store nonetheless and obviously has considerably stock of BFI releases.

After that, you also have Notting Hill Music and DVD Exchange - only has a tiny BD section generally but a lot of cheap DVDs and a ton of VHS tapes if you're into that. Also a great soundtrack selection on CD/LP.

[The Hornets]

The last two left in Central London are.

hmv Oxford Street W1C 2LA
FOPP Covent Garden WC2H 9LL

https://hmv.com/store-finder
Gives them on a map.

Fopp are owned by HMV. They are their more independent label stores so much more of their stock is focused on the likes of BFI, Arrow etc than the HMV stores which focus on the Hollywood studios and more mainstream titles.

You also have in Central London.
Forbidden Planet - very close to Fopp. Focus is Sci-fi and Anime. Home video is in basement.
Foyles - book store also very close to Fopp, but has a range of mostly TV titles, one of the few places still with Network titles.

[fatboyslim142]

There's also the BFI shop in Southbank (Waterloo) next to the Royal Festival Hall. If you have any time I recommend watching a film there as well.

BFI have currently got a Victor Erice season on this month & on another note Kiyoshi Kurosawa's 1985 pink film Bumpkin Soup (which i think Third window will release) gets a rare big screen outing on Tuesday (April 9th) at the BFI so worth going to see.

https://www.london-tourist-guide.com...he%20building.

[alexrinse]

There's a very rare screening of Hibiscus Town on 35mm at the ICA. Plus The Good, the Bad the Ugly also on 35 at the PCC!

[Number 28]

In the video below, is the Fopp shop in Central London, as mentioned here on this thread. See it as a training/orientation film so you don't lose time stocking up on all those goodies. BEWARE - it is very easy to pop in there and end with a shed load of titles. I only go there with a fixed amount of cash, so I don't end up buying the whole shop.

The video shows all three floors of the shop, but misses out on showing the music DVDs/BDs, which are tucked away in an alcove on the first floor.
The 4K section as shown in the video, from 2 years ago, has moved within the shop, as more titles have been added.

A tour of Fopp in the West End of London. This just may be the greatest music and video shop still in existence in the UK today and anyone visiting central London really should put it on their 'To Do' list. The address is 1 Earlham Street, London, WC2H 9LL but in reality you'll find them on Shaftesbury Avenue just a five minute walk along from Piccadilly Circus and just the far side of Cambridge Circus. Three floors are laid out with music on top, a variety of video, music and books on the ground and then the most extensive video selection you could wish for on the lower ground. In this video we take a walk around the whole caboodle!
To follow FOPP Covent Garden

FOPP The Greatest Movie Store In Britain, Covent Garden - YouTube

[Ste7en]

FOPP in Covent Garden has always been great. But the last time I was there I got a glower when I asked if they had a boxed set that didn't have a spider tag on it (all the ones on display had spider tags digging into the boxes).

They didn't, so no sale

[Eidolon]

Originally Posted by Matt89

Hey guys, so I'm gonna be in the UK this weekend for a couple weeks and was wondering if anyone from London knows any good shops to check out for BDs/UHDs. I know HMV is one of the major ones (which I'm really excited to check out - the last HMV closed in Canada in 2017 so it'll feel somewhat nostalgic walking into one after all these years) but if there's any other places I shouldn't miss I'd love to hear about them.

I primarily plan on hitting up a lot of touristy stuff but was wondering if any locals knew of some video shops to check out while I'm there. Gonna be there for 14 days so I have some time to kill lol.

There's a place called Umit and Son which I've been meaning to visit for years. It's a whole film related store and anything goes, you can find film reels, dvds, magazines, nostalgia etc there.

[Pochacco]

Originally Posted by Eidolon

There's a place called Umit and Son which I've been meaning to visit for years. It's a whole film related store and anything goes, you can find film reels, dvds, magazines, nostalgia etc there.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/202...ndon-film-club

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by Number 28

In the video below, is the Fopp shop in Central London, as mentioned here on this thread. See it as a training/orientation film so you don't lose time stocking up on all those goodies. BEWARE - it is very easy to pop in there and end with a shed load of titles. I only go there with a fixed amount of cash, so I don't end up buying the whole shop.

The video shows all three floors of the shop, but misses out on showing the music DVDs/BDs, which are tucked away in an alcove on the first floor.
The 4K section as shown in the video, from 2 years ago, has moved within the shop, as more titles have been added.



FOPP The Greatest Movie Store In Britain, Covent Garden - YouTube

They always re-arrange (ie move display to another location etc) things in the shop like HMV.

The best way is to win the lottery & buy ALL stock then keep what you want & flog the rest.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by Ste7en

FOPP in Covent Garden has always been great. But the last time I was there I got a glower when I asked if they had a boxed set that didn't have a spider tag on it (all the ones on display had spider tags digging into the boxes).

They didn't, so no sale

Too right, I would have done the same and bought from somewhere else. They should really know and do better being a physical media specialist, selling to discerning collectors. It is not like you are buying it from a supermarket, a Jack-of all-trades, stack'em high retailer.

I like the Fopp shop, but I am not keen on the service, very impersonal.

For customer service I prefer the BFI Southbank shop for their efficiency and helpfuness. From my experience with the BFI if there was an issue which you had at Fopp, one of the ladies at the BFI shop would understand and would not be put out getting another copy from the stockroom. I would expect the lady at the BFI would even say she will speak to someone about the issue of spider tags digging into the box sets, if they used them and say sorry.

I am not a member of the BFI, so I don't get the 15% shop discount, but I aim to buy from them directly with thier new releases to show my appreciation, to do my bit as much as possible to support a physical shop and the work they do. They also do have some good sale deals from time to time.

With Fopp/HMV I don't think they do themselves any favours sometimes, especially when they are up against the big corporate, one stop shop, which most people buy from.

[The Hornets]

No idea who on earth here buys from HMV or Fopp in store these days unless it’s a sale item you can’t get online. The 20% online discount codes win every time.

[bladelia]

A stones throw from Fopp is Forbidden Planet as well.

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

No idea who on earth here buys from HMV or Fopp in store these days unless it’s a sale item you can’t get online. The 20% online discount codes win every time.

I am a newbie here, I might treat myself in getting The Body Stealers with the HMV discount code.

I know it seems strange and I don't have money to throw away, but I personally like going to a physical shop from time to time and using cash whilst it lasts. If everyone shopped online then even the few shops left would be gone. The 20% discount is very nice and anyone doing that to build a physical collection is getting a good deal and well done.

Also I like very much buying directly from the labels be it BFI, Indicator, ViaVision, (Network), 88 Films, 101 films, Signal One at full and sale prices to what I see is supporting, as much as possible, these companies putting the stuff out there.

Since Network's demise the amount of orders I have no longer requires the Royal Mail to back up their truck into my driveway to offload the parcels. If I was still buying as I used to, then that 20% would be a tidy saving.

Anyone, in my book, collecting physical media from full price to charity shop prices are doing good in keeping physical media alive.

[DTSBOY]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

No idea who on earth here buys from HMV in store

It's a small group.

[Ste7en]

Originally Posted by The Hornets

No idea who on earth here buys from HMV or Fopp in store these days unless it’s a sale item you can’t get online. The 20% online discount codes win every time.

If you are after a slip sometimes it is the only way to be sure.

But I also love a good browse

[cybersoga]

Fopp used to differentiate itself from HMV by having it's own offers and bags, but last week i went in there those seem to be the same as HMV. I would not be surprised if they rename the store to HMV. I agree about the spider security tags, I don't want to buy squashed product either.

The newly reopened HMV in Oxford street has more stock of 4K's and is a bit more spaced out.

I've been buying in store as much as I can because I don't want to see them dissapear

[Number 28]

Originally Posted by cybersoga

Fopp used to differentiate itself from HMV by having it's own offers and bags, but last week i went in there those seem to be the same as HMV. I would not be surprised if they rename the store to HMV. I agree about the spider security tags, I don't want to buy squashed product either.

The newly reopened HMV in Oxford street has more stock of 4K's and is a bit more spaced out.

I've been buying in store as much as I can because I don't want to see them dissapear

I have heard that Fopp, Covent Garden has more stock/titles than HMV, Oxford Street. It is interesting to hear Oxford Street has more 4K though.

Fopp is rather restricted for space and they could do with burrowing out some more space in the basement.

It is a pleasent walk from Fopp to the BFI shop on the Southbank (which opens at midday to 8 pm) via Hungerford Bridge. I have noticed quite a few shops on that walk which are closed up in Covent Garden, Strand, Charing Cross, often with the windows covered with neat, pleasent looking vinyl prints to make the place not to look abandoned and boarded up, I suppose. There are less office workers around, most people seem to be visitors, tourists. However, Fopp still gets a good amount of customers, from what I have experienced, and I hope it stays that way for a long time to come.

[-shadow-]

Holy shit, the Oxford Street store is open again?!

[fatboyslim142]

Originally Posted by -shadow-

Holy shit, the Oxford Street store is open again?!

Been open since Black Friday as I went there on said date when it reopened to use a giftcard I got for my Birthday. In addition to the store reopening they had an extra discount thing on for Black Friday ONLY.