STAFF and customers have spoken of their relief at a deal to save Nottingham's two major music shops.
Restructuring group Hilco announced it had bought HMV yesterday, in a deal that saves more than 2,500 jobs.
The 132 HMV stores to stay open include the Victoria Centre outlet, while all nine UK Fopp stores are also saved.
The HMV store in Mansfield will also stay open.
One worker at Fopp, who asked not to be identified, said staff at the Queen Street store played Kool and The Gang's hit Celebration on hearing of the buyout.
The worker said: "We are incredibly thankful to the people of Nottingham for supporting us as it's been traumatic.
"It's been very difficult but we have got through it as a team."
The worker said the eight staff had been told "we've been sold, and that's it".
They added: "There was some high-fiving. It's the customers that have kept us going. Even today you can tell something has happened because people have been coming in, and some have bought us chocolates."
Customer Rod Secker, 58, of New Basford, said: "I'm relieved. Fopp and HMV are the only music shops I've used since Selectadisc closed.
"I've been using HMV ever since I was a teenager and I was devastated at it going into administration."
He added: "I've never downloaded music. For me, I like shopping at shops.
"It's about going in there and hearing something playing that you've never heard before."
Alan Wardle, 60, of Barton Green, near Gotham, visited Fopp with his daughter Amy, 21. He said: "It's always sad to see places go and people lose their jobs, so this is good news.
"I hope they keep going in more or less the same form as now."
Amy said: "I do download music a lot because it's easier and doesn't take up space, but I do buy CDs so I've got a hard copy.
"If they are staying open hopefully they will start hiring again and create more jobs."
HMV went into administration in January.
At the time, 25 people worked at HMV in Nottingham, and around ten at the Fopp store.
Announcing the new deal, Paul McGowan, chief executive of Hilco, said the firm hoped to replicate the success it has had with HMV in Canada, which it has owned for around two years.
He said: "We have spent a number of weeks negotiating revised terms with landlords and the key suppliers to the business, all of whom have been supportive of our plans to maintain an entertainment retailer on the High Street.
"The structural differences in the markets and the higher level of competition in the UK will prove additional challenges for the UK business but we believe it has a successful future ahead of it."
Hilco has said the HMV UK business will initially be led by a team alongside existing management.
Ian Topping, who will lead them, said: "This is an exciting investment for Hilco and we will be able to use some of the developments already progressed in Canada to restore HMV to health. We intend to reverse the earlier decisions to sell tablets and other devices in the stores and to reclaim the space for an enhanced music and visual range."
