The North East music community is in mourning after the closure of JG Windows, a beloved music store in Newcastle’s Central Arcade, which shut its doors on Friday. Directors cited the inability to compete with online retailers as the reason for the closure.
Founded in 1908, JG Windows was more than a retail space; it was a cultural hub that played a key role in shaping the region’s music scene. Pet Shop Boys’ Neil Tennant, who grew up in Newcastle, called the news “very sad,” adding the store will be “much missed.”
Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith, a regular visitor, reminisced about “rummaging through the CD and vinyl sales selection” and lamented the loss as “terrible news for the city centre.” He added, “I’ll miss walking through the arcade, looking at the instruments in the window, or popping in to get some guitar strings.”
Field Music’s David Brewis reflected on the shop’s role as a networking hub for aspiring musicians, noting that people once used its noticeboards to find bandmates. Newcastle musician Rob Tickell likened the store to a rite of passage for local performers, calling it the place where musicians went “from cradle to grave.” He also praised the patience of staff who tolerated young enthusiasts staring longingly at guitars on the wall.
Customers shared heartfelt stories about the store’s impact. Karen Mavin recalled buying her son’s first trumpet there 20 years ago, adding that the helpful staff supported his passion, which eventually blossomed into a music career. Similarly, Terence Anthony from County Durham described the nurturing service he received when purchasing his sons’ first guitars, noting that “Windows staff were exactly what music shop people should be.”
Despite the closure, the Northumberland and Newcastle Society assured the public that the building’s future is secure due to its protected status. Chairman John Matthews described JG Windows as a “beloved fixture” of Newcastle’s music scene for over a century.
The store will officially enter liquidation on December 12, marking the end of an era for a business that stood at the heart of the North East’s music culture.
Source: BBC News
