Sony warehouse torched in London riots; Beggars, 4AD, Rough Trade and many other indie labels’ stocks destroyed.

Pias Entertainment Group (formerly Vital) distributes a huge list of independent companies’ releases. They announced interim plans for its physical product distribution clients. [PIAS] held stock for over 150 independent labels. It was confirmed that the building and all of its contents had been destroyed in the fire. In a statement [PIAS] announced that temporary plans to keep what stock was still available in the distribution chain were already in motion. The company said: “Sony DADC have actioned their Business Continuity Plan and are back up and running from a new control room in Enfield. [PIAS] continue to work with them to minimise the impact on the business, a number one priority for all labels and clients. Sony DADC have identified a temporary distribution partner and it is envisaged that they will be in a position to pick, pack and ship orders in the course of next week.”

Martin Mills told Music Week that it would take Beggars ten days to replenish its CD stock and three months to completely replace lost vinyl, and the company expected to recoup losses through insurance. However, he added that the main issue for all affected labels (especially those which may struggle to replenish stock as quickly) was what happens “while they don’t have anything to sell.” Beggars Group alone lost 750,000 CDs.

Sunday Best owner Rob Da Bank told the NME: “Nothing’s going to be sold for months, and I don’t know what will happen. There’s no way of distributing records. My back catalogues are all gone. I can’t afford to get another run done for older releases. Everyone’s going to have to think about the next few months. It’s a reminder of how on a knife edge these things are - some labels and shops are going to be really affected by it. It just shows how precarious the indie thing is.”

It’s also not clear at this stage if all labels are covered by insurance, and what sort of payout they would get if they are. Writer and musician Fion Chadd has also begun organising a fundraising event for affected labels,  here: www.cognitivedissonancerecords.com/labellove 

The ongoing rioting in London struck a potentially devastating blow to the U.K.’s independent record labels when a 200,000-square-foot Sony DADC warehouse went up in flames, destroying countless records and CDs distributed by the PIAS Group on behalf of scores of indie labels including such famed imprints as Beggars Banquet, 4AD, Mute and Rough Trade. Those larger independent labels won’t be as badly hurt, Beggars Group chairman Martin Mills tells Music Week, because they keep stock at other locations around Europe. But dozens of smaller labels may have had their entire physical inventory wiped out in the blaze, which resulted in no injuries.

Industry analyst Paul Scaife told The Guardian that the Sony fire could crush smaller labels: “Physical retail is still absolutely crucial to many in the independent sector and if — as seems quite likely — several smaller labels aren’t covered by insurers, this could be the difference between survival and going out of business.” Reissue imprint Beggars Archive this morning posted on its blog that “all our U.K. stock is gone,” but that the label is “remanufacturing as rapidly as possible” and moving stock from Europe to cover. The label says the fire will impact catalog availability, “but fortunately the This Mortal Coil boxes and Throwing Muses sets are still in transit, so we haven’t lost those.”

The Association of Independent Music’s chief executive Alison Wenham said: “We released an emergency bulletin. It’s terrible news, obviously it appears to be have burned to the ground. There’s nothing left. We’re a strong community though; other independent distributors are rallying round to help. Labels who have stock can be distributed, and other labels whose stock has gone may be able to access the distributors once a clearer picture has emerged.”