The business began in 1966 as a small television shop on West Tower Street, Carlisle.
Today, it operates luxury showrooms in Carlisle, Workington and Newcastle upon Tyne, alongside a national online and telesales business.
Over 75 people work for the company, which has become one of the UK’s largest independent hi-fi and AV specialists.
Its reputation among manufacturers is substantial. In some years, Peter Tyson has been the world’s largest dealer for both Linn and Naim Audio, and it is regularly ranked among the top three worldwide for McIntosh. The company hopes its anniversary will help more music lovers discover the name behind those well-known audio brands.
A family business with a long history
Founder Peter Tyson repaired and serviced televisions before opening his first shop in the year England won the World Cup. At the time, more households were buying televisions rather than renting them, and the shop became one of Carlisle’s first independent TV retailers.
In the early 1970s, the company moved into hi-fi, initially selling Japanese brands including Kenwood, National Panasonic and Technics. It later added specialist British manufacturers such as Arcam and Linn, helping to build its standing with audiophiles.
Peter Tyson launched petertyson.co.uk around the turn of the millennium, becoming one of the country’s early hi-fi retailers to sell online. Its Carlisle operation moved to a purpose-built showroom and distribution centre in 2017. A new 5,000 sq ft store opened at Lillyhall, Workington, in July 2025, while the Newcastle showroom has also received major improvements to its demonstration facilities.
A chance to hear the difference
The company’s showrooms are designed to let customers compare systems at their own pace. Dedicated listening rooms allow people to hear equipment in comfortable surroundings, with demonstrations shaped around their music, room and budget.
Peter Tyson’s stock gives customers the opportunity to compare competing brands in one visit. Someone considering Linn or Naim, for example, can listen to both without travelling between dealers.
The range stretches from affordable first systems to high-end installations costing hundreds of thousands of pounds. At a recent vinyl event in Carlisle, visitors heard a McIntosh and Sonus faber system valued at around £300,000.
“You can go to high-end hi-fi shops or you can go to entry-level hi-fi shops; there are very few places that can take you from the top of the market to the bottom and back again, and let you hear the difference for yourself,” said Luke Tyson, director and hi-fi brand manager, and the third generation of the family to work in the business.
In 2026, Peter Tyson introduced a dedicated luxury hi-fi section on its website, bringing together around 16 brands, including Linn, Naim, McIntosh, Sonus faber, Bowers & Wilkins, Focal, KEF and Chord Electronics. Its trained, brand-authorised staff support customers choosing equipment, including products available in bespoke finishes.
The retailer also caters for people starting out, with pre-matched system bundles combining amplifiers, speakers and cables. Its own British-made hi-fi brand, Fell Audio, takes inspiration from the Cumbrian landscape.
Vinyl is bringing new audiences into the showrooms, Luke Tyson said: “People buy a record, and then they want to come in and hear it properly.”
Looking ahead
The Tyson family continues to lead the business, alongside long-serving employees, some of whom have been with the company for 30 years. The founder’s motto, “The name you can trust”, remains central to its approach, whether customers visit in person or order online.
Alongside hi-fi and AV, Peter Tyson sells televisions, home appliances, coffee machines and small appliances, with national sales through petertysonelectricals.co.uk. The wider business supports its investment in stock, buying power and showrooms.
Looking to the next five years, Luke Tyson wants to introduce Peter Tyson to a wider audience. “Whether it’s a turntable or an all-in-one streaming system, beautiful Italian loudspeakers or slim aluminium Danish wireless speakers, we have the products, the expertise and the showrooms,” he said.
“We want to take that to a much wider audience and show people just what’s possible.”
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