Stars sing out for musicals specialist

West End names including Andrew Lloyd Webber, Dame Judi Dench and Elaine Paige are fighting to save a music shop seen as "an institution".

Dress Circle, which stocks memorabilia and soundtracks from musicals, was on the brink of closure after a steady decline in sales.

But the Monmouth Street shop, which has traded for 33 years, has been given a lifeline after supporters raised about £15,000 at a gala. The sold-out show, hosted by singer and presenter Aled Jones, was held on Sunday after Lord Lloyd-Webber's company Really Useful Group offered the use of Her Majesty's Theatre.

Dame Judi said: "Dress Circle has a unique approach to supporting British theatrical talent through its nurturing and promotion of an incredible spectrum of actors, composers, lyricists, and librettists." Theatre producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh said: "Dress Circle is an essential part of our living musical history. Long may it spin."

Although the gala funds are only enough to keep the shop open for a couple of months, its owners hope this can buy them time to find a permanent solution.

Murray Allan, who has run the store for 17 years, said he was "overwhelmed" by the support. He added: "It's not just about the cost of running the shop but I'm a music retailer battling with downloads. Customers are not coming in and they're not manufacturing merchandise for shows in the way they did a few years ago."