Matter of record.(Leaders)

Time and tide wait for no man as Dan Reddington will sadly testify.

His once thriving city centre record shop will soon close its doors after more than 40 years providing regular fixes for the region's vinyl junkies.

A combination of internet downloads, online trading and rising city rents has seen independent shops like his become as rare as the records he sells.

Let's hope the sad demise of Reddingtons in the city centre is not a forewarning of things to come. Birmingham prides itself as a shopping centre of some repute and it will only retain its hard-fought reputation by protecting the retailers who made the city what it is today.