THE sound system was taking customers back to the late 1970s as they quietly supped their ale and flicked through a stack of old vinyl record covers.

The place was Skipton Sound Bar in Swadford Street and the disc playing was The Long Run by the Eagles.

The place is neither pub nor shop - it's a combination of both with the bar occupying the rear of the room and dispensing beer from two hand pumps and the shop counter on the right housing a turntable from where the famous LP was playing.

The walls were lined with LP sleeves, rock posters and the bar bedecked with old cuttings from Melody Maker and New Musical Express.

The ceiling was festooned with other musical paraphernalia and instruments - a trombone, saxophone, small keyboard, electric guitar and acoustic guitar, bongos and a washboard.

Other LPs and 45s, dating from the 60s to the 90s, were lined up in dispensing tables - the handiwork of Miles Laprell and his business partner Phil Costello, two old music fans in love with all things vinyl both musically and design wise.

The stock is replenished regularly along with the guest traditional ale which shares the bar with Sound Bar's own brew.

Miles, a former publican, said: "We were looking to start a business and we're both old music fans but thought a shop just selling vinyl records wouldn't be enough.

"We had seen similar places combined with a cafe but having been a publican myself we thought having a bar would be different - something quirky.

"We looked at many places over about 18 months. We were sure we didn't want a city place and when we came to Skipton we thought it was just right - it had just the right vibe, it just felt right.

"We took the place last May- it was a horrible mess so we set about transforming it ourselves - it took three months."

The aim was to give it a touch of "bohemian" charm where people could chill out, browse the records, play cards, scrabble dominoes and have a beer or a coffee. "I think we've been successful from the reaction we've had from customers," said Miles.

The Sound Bar is switched on from noon to 8pm, Wednesday to Saturday and from noon to 5pm on Sundays.

Don't go expecting food but occasionally - and more frequently in the future - there will be live music, just recently customers were entertained by 16-year-old guitarist Calum Spencer from Skipton.