A RECORD store has said it received its first official complaint in nearly 40 years after a rock band performed inside the shop.

The Ends, from Canvey, promoted their new single You Write the Hits (I Write the B-Sides) with a performance at Fives Records, in Leigh Broadway, to a crowd of onlookers and even dancers enjoying the show in the street.

The band’s drummer Joe Blamey, guitarist James Clarke, both 22, and Liam Davies, 23, on bass performed inside the shop with a full sound system, while singer Mike Darrah, 22, sang to the crowd outside.

However, although the 20- minute performance appeared to please many, not everyone was happy, with Southend Council informing the shop on Tuesday a complaint had been made about the noise.

Owner Peter Driscoll brushed off the complaint, however, emphasising how short the performance was.

He said: “The complaint was about the noise, but they were here for 20 minutes. It’s no different to a car alarm going off for 20 minutes.

“It just seems like some people complain for the sake of something to complain about.”

Manager Sandra Bennett admitted the performance was louder than she had anticipated, but the promotion seemed to go down well.

She said: “There was quite a crowd out there and inside the shop and it got quite a good response.

“It was louder than we expected, though, so I think we woke up Leigh.”

The only informal complaint the shop had previously received in its 37 years was from Oxfam, next door, seven years ago, when a queue of young people waiting to see McFly blocked the charity shop’s entrance.

A record signed by the band was duly donated as recompense.

The Ends’ Drummer Joe said they thoroughly enjoyed the performance.

He said: “It was great fun and something we’ve been looking forward to for a long time.

“It was the first time we’d done anything like that and it was a bit weird playing in a record shop, but there were people across the road dancing and we got a lot of social media attention out of it.”

The band’s single is available at Fives in Leigh, South on Queens Road, Southend, and via the band’s website www.theends.co.uk