Latest Teesside headlines straight to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A TEESSIDE record store has been named the country’s finest.

Sound It Out Records, in Stockton, was named Best Independent Retailer at the Music Week Awards 2012.

It beat off competition from a host of other stores from elsewhere to scoop the title.

And it capped off a great week for owner Tom Butchart - who got married days later.

“I’m really chuffed about it,” Tom, 39, from Eaglescliffe, said.

“It’s a country-wide nomination and there were five shops that we were up against.

“We didn’t think we would get anywhere with it.”

Just two days after the shop won the award, Tom married partner Claire at Danby Castle.

The pair have just returned from their honeymoon to Murcia, in southern Spain.

And events of the last couple of weeks are only now starting to sink in.

Sound It Out Records beat off competition from the likes of Rough Trade East in London and Rise Records in Bristol.

Tom bought Sound It Out Records nearly 14 years ago.

He believes it’s the passion of staff and attention to detail which secured them the prestigious award.

“We all love what we do here,” he said.

“It’s because we care about our customers as well and there’s the personal touch too.”

Last year the store also won Town Centre Business of the Year at Stockton Council’s first Town Centre Business Awards.

IN THE GROOVE: It was a great week for Sound it Out owner Tom Butchart - who got married just after the award

Picture by IAN McINTYRE