Westwood & Mason in Oxford - Still around?
- Thread starter DevillEars
- Start date
clifftaylor
Absolutely retired!
I was their "source first" hero for having an LP12 / Ittok / Denon something, NAD3020, and Mordaunt Short MS10s!! (1990 or so, all bought from them). I was working at the Post Office at the time, and they were on my way home, so I used to drop in regularly for a chat and a listen.
Nigelinfrance
New Member
Just come across this thread. I worked for some years at 'Westwoods' back in the 60's, Les Westwood had the shop along with a component wholesalers - Duval - which was next door behind the Opticians (the building was a maze).
The manager at Westwoods was Mike Short who went on to open his own shops in Headington. He had the hi-fi shop at 126 London Road, the repair and component shop was in Old High Street and a shop for S/H items in Kennet Road. He then took a new industrial unit down the Botley Road and went bust in a big way in the early 80's!! He unfortunately died some years back. Back to George St. in the 60's, there was John Bennet, Richard Smith, Bryan Mussel and Colin Sanders who came in on Saturdays along with Mike and myself. John went to Australia, Richard set up his software business in London and of course the brilliant audio designer Colin who tragically died in the helicopter crash in the 80's. Good times - real audio equipment and meeting lots of interesting people.
By the way I was the guy who did all the repairs but I now live in France.
Nigel
The manager at Westwoods was Mike Short who went on to open his own shops in Headington. He had the hi-fi shop at 126 London Road, the repair and component shop was in Old High Street and a shop for S/H items in Kennet Road. He then took a new industrial unit down the Botley Road and went bust in a big way in the early 80's!! He unfortunately died some years back. Back to George St. in the 60's, there was John Bennet, Richard Smith, Bryan Mussel and Colin Sanders who came in on Saturdays along with Mike and myself. John went to Australia, Richard set up his software business in London and of course the brilliant audio designer Colin who tragically died in the helicopter crash in the 80's. Good times - real audio equipment and meeting lots of interesting people.
By the way I was the guy who did all the repairs but I now live in France.
Nigel
Roy R Graham
New Member
One of my fondest memories of England is Westwood & Mason! I was an airman living in the barracks at RAF Upper Heyford back in the late 1970s. All the American airmen were buying mostly American and Japanese equipment from the audio store on the base. I was reading all the English hi-fi magazines of the day and wanted to hear what all the fuss was about. It was in the days of Linn, Rega, Meridian, Spendor, Quad, Rogers, Gale, Naim, Supex, and on and on. I met Julian and Nigel and my understanding of audio opened up and they were wonderful to work with. I, eventually, walked away having purchased a pair of Gale GS401As, Meridian 101/105S, Rega Planar 3, and Entre-1 MC. Everyone in the barracks thought I was crazy buying Bloke hi-fi equipment; that is, until they came into my room and heard it for the 1st time! Many a head left that barracks room shaking in bewilderment at what they had just witnessed. Julian and Nigel have often been in my appreciative thoughts over all these years.
Mullardman
Moderately extreme...
Lovely thread..
However, I wouldn't be so quick to 'diss' Audio T/Sevenoaks/Richer Sounds. They all have their place and can start people on the journey to our sort of lunacy.
However, I wouldn't be so quick to 'diss' Audio T/Sevenoaks/Richer Sounds. They all have their place and can start people on the journey to our sort of lunacy.