HMV in its heyday [wiki commons; Alex Liivet]

HMV is set to move back into its former flagship store in Oxford Street but without its heritage dog and gramophone logo.

The council has signed a lease with the former music shop giant confirming its return to 363 Oxford Street.

The unit had been taken over by Candy World, one of many American candy shops that have opened in recent years.

The reopening comes as retailers report a demand continues to rise for CDs and records instead of faceless internet downloads.

The new store – which will stock pop culture merchandise, vinyl, film, TV and music technology – has a fresh logo and modernised layout.

Geoff Barraclough, Westminster City Council’s cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: “It’s fantastic to see this iconic brand back on Oxford Street, where it stood as a driver of music and pop culture in the capital for so long.

“The return of this famous name is proof that there’s a buzz back in the West End. There’s nothing quite like browsing through CDs and vinyl in-store.

“As a teenager who bought his first LP in an HMV shop some decades ago, I look forward to reliving that experience.”

Vinyl records outsold CDs last year for the first time since 1987 and Taylor Swift’s 2022 Midnights album sold more than 900,000 records.

HMV was a top destination for music fans for decades.

In 2022, the ‘His Master’s Voice’ (HMV) front sign was blacked over and decorated with United States flags, and an image of the Statue of Liberty holding a lollipop and chocolate bar when Candy World opened.

The city council has been campaigning against the rise of candy shops in Oxford Street and the West End.

The original HMV store on the site was opened by composer and conductor Sir Edward Elgar in 1921.

Later burnt down and reopened in 1939, since then it had been frequented by John Lennon in the 1960s, visited by Michael Jackson in the 1980s and seen a live rooftop performance by Blur in the 1990s.

More recently HMV stores across the country have seen visits for signings by artists such as Charli XCX, Stormzy, Shania Twain, RAYE and Ellie Goulding.

The Oxford Street shop’s opening will be “the launchpad for an exciting new era for HMV”, said Doug Putman, who took ownership of the business in 2019.

The retailer’s current flagship store is at The Vault in Birmingham.

There are currently 120 shops around the United Kingdom, including Fopp stores, which were taken over by HMV in 2007.