A MUSIC enthusiast dubbed Vinylman because of his legendary record fairs is to spin the turntable for the final time.

Geoff Finch has attracted music lovers from around the country to his Brighton Record Fair, which he has run for 38 years.

But on November 20, Vinylman will go out with a bang with his final event.

Mr Finch, a postman by day, said his love of collecting records would never fade.

He said: “Once you’re a record collector you can’t really stop. I still would like to buy and sell records but I am giving up organising the events I’ve been doing for last 38 years.”

He has been in demand for his expert knowledge over the years and has been consulted by the likes of Radio 4, The Telegraph and even superstar Michael Jackson.

He said: “Michael Jackson’s management rang me and said can he come in early to buy some records. So I said, ‘sure, why not?’.

“It was all hush hush but he never showed.

“I was saving all those early Beatles tunes for him but he already had them.

“At least Paul Weller, Jimmy Page and even a famous snooker player showed on other occasions.”

The 67-year-old has decided to call it a day, citing competition from online dealers.

Sales of vinyl records have exploded in recent years with 2.1 million being sold in 2014 alone.

Mr Finch said: “Increasingly it’s been hard to get the right international dealers and it isn’t such an event any more because everyone is doing vinyl record fairs.

“It’s like open season now, everybody wants to be in a record shop.

“There is such competition it has become very difficult.”

Now preparing for his final fair, Mr Finch is getting ready to part with hundreds of his own vinyl records.

The event will also host up to 70 stalls with dealers from pop and rock, punk, dance, classical and jazz.

He said: “I’ve got about 10,000 vinyls and CDs, which will go for a pound each.

“It’s like clearing a library because I’ve got music from all genres.”

But Brighton’s record collectors shouldn’t be too disheartened, as Brighton Record Fair will continue under new management next year.

Mr Finch’s final event will be on Sunday, November 20, from 9.30am to 8.30pm in the Syndicate Wing of the Brighton Centre in Russell Road, Brighton.