12 Bar Music & Social

12 Bar Music & Social is a coffee, vinyl and live music venue on Paris Street in Exeter, founded by Sam, a former music teacher who moved into hospitality and built a place where the two interests could sit side by side. The shop stocks records for browsing and buying, and the same room turns into a gig space and DJ venue after hours, hosting everything from up-and-coming touring bands to vinyl-only DJ nights.

Past bookings have included Lucy Gooch, We Are All Fossils and Rosie Frater-Taylor, and the venue also runs its own Record Store Day events celebrating local music and community. It is dog-friendly and known for a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere - the kind of place people drop into for a coffee and a browse through the crates as easily as they come for an evening gig. That mix of specialty coffee, record shop and live venue in one small space is fairly rare in Exeter, and it has built a loyal following since opening.