Wednesday 4 November 2009

Early 1980s: What Was Len Fairclough Up To? And "It Can Take 16 Episodes Of Crossroads (If You Can!)"

-Here's a newspaper advertisement from 1980. Video technology had been around for many years, but domestic VCRs in the UK for only a few.

Note that this is a top loader, too. The first front-loading VCR made its debut a couple of years later.

In 1980, only 5% of UK households possessed a video recorder - they weren't cheap to buy outright at that point, and even renting was a financial commitment many could do without in those "got no dosh, guv'nor," times. The video revolution had to hold on until later in the decade to begin to take hold (around 25% of UK households had a VCR in 1985).

Seeing the "What Happened To Len Fairclough?" ad reminds me of another early 1980s video recorder ad.

Do you remember "It can take 16 episodes of Crossroads (if you can!)" - from Radio Rentals?

Poor old Crossroads!