A leading guitar retailer says it has recorded a 15% increase in shoppers and believes people are turning to music to escape stress.

guitarguitar, founded in the Corstorphine, Edinburgh in 2004, said it has defied high street trends by branching out with stores now also in  Glasgow, Birmingham, Camden, Epsom and Newcastle.

The firm said it has seen an average 15% increase in footfall across its stores in the current quarter.

Co-founder Graham Bell said: “We live in a high-paced world, with constant stimulation, surrounded by stresses and strains.

“People turn to music to escape that. Music makes people’s lives better.

“We see that from the experiences people have in our stores and take a great deal of satisfaction from being a part of the musical journeys our customers embark upon.

“Now more than ever people need music in their lives, and that shows in a 15% rise in our customer numbers in the current quarter.”

The retailer is planning to kickstart its 15th birthday celebrations this weekend by attaching a giant volume dial to the front of its Glasgow store that dispenses gifts when it is cranked up to 15.