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Tributes paid to John Holmes, founder of the Holmes Music empire
Overview
Family, friends, and former colleagues have paid tribute to John Holmes, who has died at the age of 93. Holmes built a successful regional music business across the West of England, starting from a small driving school in Swindon in the 1960s before expanding to multiple locations. His Faringdon Road shop in Swindon remains open today.
Key points
- John Holmes passed away on 29 September at the age of 93.
- He started Holmes Music in Swindon in the early 1960s, initially operating from a driving school premises before expanding.
- At its peak, the business grew to include eight shops across locations such as Swindon, Bristol, Cheltenham, and Oxford.
- Prominent musicians including Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues and Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull were frequent visitors to the shops.
- The business scaled back to its single Swindon store on Faringdon Road following the 1993 recession.