A Hendon record shop has been put up for sale on eBay at almost half a million pounds.

Retro Bloke, which was opened in Church Road almost 20 years ago, was placed on the auction website by founder Jason Moore.

Mr Moore explained that the owner of the building fell ill in 2011 and has “reluctantly” been forced to sell, leaving Retro Bloke, as the main tenant in a difficult position.

He wrote on the eBay listing: “As the sitting tenant and owner of the shop, I am not financially in a position to purchase the whole building, so I've agreed to sell our shop along with the building.

“While potentially we could have found a new site for the record shop, after twenty years in the same place, and knowing the huge amount of work and energy it took to build up the customer base during those early years, starting from scratch is a daunting thought.

“I've decided it would be best if we could find someone else to hand the reigns on to, so this much loved record shop isn't lost forever.”

Mr Moore is advertising the store and two flats above as a “huge development opportunity” but insists the shop is not going out of business, claiming it made between £50,000 and £60,000-a-year in the last three years.

The entertainment store, which has a stock of more than 30,000 second-hand DVDs, CDs, records and video games, is also run as an online business and the owners say they are looking to keep the website running.

Mr Moore’s business partner David O’Shea said there is a chance the store could remain as a record shop and a few potential buyers have already shown an interest

Mr O’Shea said: “Times change in terms of how people buy things and with the downloading era but as a business, we weren’t looking to sell up and cease trading – it’s just a result of the circumstances.

“There’s every chance it will remain as a record store but it depends who comes in – it is a case of wait and see.”

The owners say they are reluctant to further publicise the sale which “may take some time” and they are keen that their customers do not think they are going out of business.

Mr Moore wrote on eBay: “I was about fifteen when I first started dreaming of opening a record shop. I used to travel into London every weekend and trawl the basements in Camden and Notting Hill, wondering what on earth the screechy noisy records they played through their stereo systems were.

“It will certainly be with some sadness when the time comes to leave our shop, it has been an amazing place to earn a living for the past two decades. We have got some brilliant customers, many of which we have long considered our friends, and hardly a day goes by without something happening to make you laugh.”

Retro Bloke record store was opened in Church Road almost 20 years ago