Tributes to man who built up a 'music empire'

A man who built a "music empire" across the West of England has been remembered by his family and friends after his death.

Born in 1933, John Holmes started his business in the early 1960s and ended up with eight shops in places like Swindon, Bristol, Cheltenham and Oxford.

The likes of Joshua Hayward of the rock band Moody Blues and Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull were frequenter visitors to Holmes Music.

John's son, Alan, said: "He was a workaholic - in the best way - and was rightfully proud of what he created. Music and customer service were in his blood and these things remained his driving force throughout."

John's family moved to Wroughton in 1939 when his dad, Bert, got a job at ammunitions factory Marine Mountings.

He was gifted an accordion as a child and went onto front the Johnnie Holmes Dance Band which performed at venues like The Empire and The Playhouse.

Alan added: "He started the shop in 1961, a little shop in Morse Street that was a driving school.

"And then somebody asked him to sell his instrument in his window, and that's where it [Holmes Music] all started from."

As the business grew, thanks in part to the popularity of the Beatles and "everyone wanting to buy a guitar", John moved to Faringdon Road when he needed more space.

Alan continued: "At its peak, dad's music empire had shops in Bristol, Oxford, Cheltenham plus additional outlets in Swindon's Brunel centre and a concession in the Debenhams department store."

In 1993, the recession meant that Holmes Music had to shut all its shops except Swindon's.

John died aged 93 on 29 September. Since then, many of his former customers, colleagues and friends have paid tribute.

Jamie Stapleton is pub landlord of The Tuppenny, a pub in Swindon's Old Town popular for live music.

He spent 20 years working at Holmes Music.

"I saw first-hand just how much one man, driven by a genuine love for music and people, could shape a town," Stapleton said.

"When John and his wife Jean opened their first music shop in 1963, they weren't just opening a business, they were laying the foundation for generations of Swindon musicians."

Stapleton said Holmes Music is a "time capsule of what retail used to be".

He added: "They say we're a nation of shopkeepers, and John was one of the best.

"Few people have contributed as much to the rich and diverse fabric of Swindon's music scene as John, his family, and their shop."

In 2013, John was asked by the Swindon Advertiser whether Holmes Music would still exist in 2063 - 100 years after it was founded.

He replied: "Oh yes, I believe so. It's my dream anyway. It's my legacy to my children and grandchildren."

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