GREENOCK'S last record shop is closing down with the loss of three full-time jobs.

Rhythmic Records in the Oak Mall will shut for the final time on 25 May.

Believed to be the second oldest independent music shop in Scotland, it has become a casualty of people using the internet to download or buy CDs and DVDs.

Shop owner Bill Morton, of Greenock, said it was a sad day for Inverclyde.

Bill said: "We would have celebrated our 30th year in the Oak Mall next year, but things have really gone downhill over the past three years, and this year has been horrible.

"The shop used to be full of kids buying CDs, but now they are downloading music from the internet.

"We are so thankful to our customers who have kept us going over the years. I kept thinking that things would pick up, but unfortunately they got worse financially."

Store assistant Ed McGill described it as 'the end of an era'.

He recalled that the shop was often queued out with people buying new releases by big name bands and for concert tickets.

Ed said: "Many people enjoyed browsing through our CD and DVD collections.

"There used to be a whole culture surrounding record shops like ours - they used to be places where people would come to meet and make friends. Many of our customers have told us they are really upset."

Greenock DJ and music promoter Chris Davidson said the loss of Rhythmic was a 'sad sign of the times'.

He said: "I have 20,000 music items in my collection, and three-quarters of it was bought at Rhythmic Records."

Chris, who ran Subterraneans at Barr's Cottage and the popular Pineapple Club night in Greenock's Loreto Club, added: "This is a big loss to Greenock and Inverclyde."