The Music Room in Ulverston closing due to owner's death

The Music Room in Ulverston will be closing on May 22 after owner Paul O'Connor died on New Year's Eve from cancer.

The shop opened in 1995 on Queen Street and originally started by only selling CDs. To make the business more profitable he started exploring other areas within music sales so he began selling music books and instrument accessories.

In the very early days, Mr O'Connor also gave guitar lessons.

The inside of the music room. (Image: Submitted)

"He had a very good network to get stuff for customers from listening to them. What was his music business was also his hobby and he absolutely loved it," said his widow Fran O'Connor.

"He got a lot of regulars and they just came in and talked about music for hours."

His wife, who is currently managing the shop, said despite it being a very good business she would have to close it.

She said: "It was a very good business but unfortunately is closing purely because I cannot be here all the time.

"I do not think he would have ever sold it. If he had lived until 90 he would still be here.

"People have said a lot of things about how he started their musical journey for them. It is quite emotional being here. It is the end of an era but he had a very happy life here."

Paul O'Connor died at the age of 68. (Image: Submitted)The 68-year-old had a very 'eclectic' music taste and would listen to anything from Fleetwood Mac to Genesis and Take That

"He listened to absolutely any sort of music - he loved music," she said.

"He wrote his own songs for the guitar and played his music in his guitar at home but he never joined a band. He was not that brave but he loved playing music. 

"Although he owned the shop he was quite a shy person and he kept himself to himself but when he was in the shop he was a different person."

The Music Room is currently having a sale and all instruments have now been sold. It is open on Monday and Thursday from noon to 4pm and from 10am to 1pm on Tuesday and Friday.