Tape recorder's Elvis revival gets south Shropshire repair shop dancing
Owners of a beloved but elderly reel-to-reel tape recorder were 'all shook up' when they couldn't get it to play Elvis songs.
But the experts at a south Shropshire repair cafe worked their magic during an event on October 30 and had a 'special moment' when they reunited the music playing machine to its grateful owner.
“The repair café always produces something special,” said Diane Lyle, founder and organiser of Ludlow Repair Café.
"The owner, David Powell from Tenbury Wells, carried it in, cradled in his arms, and told us he and his future wife had bought it when they were courting - and they have been married 59 years!”
The Ludlow Repair Café is lucky to have a repairer, Chris Byard, who loves tackling such things and got it working.
“To test it, there was a recording of Elvis singing one of his early love songs," said Diane.
"It was tempting to down tools and dance.
“The look on the owner’s face when he returned to collect that tape recorder was wonderful.
"Everyone involved in the Repair Café enjoys these mornings and the challenges they bring, but you see that look of joy on someone’s face, and it just underlines what we do and makes the time we give up so worthwhile.”
The Ludlow Repair Café opened its doors on October 30 for the second time since the pandemic forced it to close.
During the two-hour session they received 23 items, most of which were successfully repaired and given an extended life.
There were some which were beyond repair or were unsafe.
The event was dominated by garden tools - four hedge trimmers and a couple of leaf blowers - but there was still the usual variety of other items including lamps, a pair of walkie-talkies which weren’t talking to each other, a coffee grinder and a coffee machine, vacuum cleaners, a paper shredder, a torn anorak and a ‘vintage’ child’s rucksack with a broken zip whose adult owner still loves it.
The next Ludlow Repair Café is due to take place on January 29, at Rockspring, Covid permitting.
For more information or to join the team, contact Diane on 07786 620 624 or email ludlowrepaircafe@gmail.com
