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Radio Rentals
Radio Rentals was founded in 1930 by Percy Perring-Thoms in Brighton, Sussex, UK, to rent out radio receiving sets. It later offered televisions and videorecorders for rent. Radio Rentals was the largest television rental group in the UK and claimed that at its peak it had more than two million customers, more than 500 shops, 3,600 technicians, 2,700 skilled installers and a large ancillary staff. It had sales and service locations across the UK; the Radio Rentals logo being a common sight on many High Streets. The business still trades in Australia.
Radio Rentals started life in Boyces Street, Brighton, Sussex, England. As well as renting radio receiving sets, it also guaranteed their service and maintenance. It was the first such business in the United Kingdom. Turnover in the first year was £780 (equivalent to £44,081 in 2025).
A limited company, Radio Rentals Limited, was incorporated on 19 August 1933 and by 1936 had shown rapid growth, becoming the largest such organisation in Great Britain, adding 12,000 subscribers in 1935-36 and covering almost the whole of the home counties, the Midlands and the South of England. At the time, the company's headquarters were at 92 Regent Street in London and had branch offices and showrooms in Birmingham, Brighton, Canterbury, Croydon, Southampton and Southend-on-Sea. A maintenance and services depot was in Kennington. The radio receiving sets were made by E. K. Cole Limited.
Radio Rentals operated mainly in the UK, but opened an Australian branch in Sydney in 1937. In the 1960s, the group expanded into Italy with Telenoleggio.
The growth of BBC Television and then ITV after the Second World War encouraged more people to want TV sets, but they were expensive, creating an opportunity for Radio Rentals and its competitors to offer them at a monthly rental price which was much more affordable.
By 1959 all Radio Rentals sets were made by a subsidiary company, Mains Radio Gramophone, based in Bradford. In October 1960, Radio Rentals acquired the Baird Company and in December 1960, Mains Radio Gramophone changed its name to Baird Television.
Radio Rentals acquired Recordacall in 1962, a company renting telephone answering equipment, which started to be made by Baird Television. In October 1962, the group acquired Dawes Radio Group.
In 1964, Radio Rentals merged with Rentaset (previously known as Relay Exchanges), Joseph Robinson's similar company, which also owned Goodmans, bringing the group's outlets to 750 and assets to £55 million. Founder-chairman and managing director Perring-Thoms died in July 1964. Robinson later became chairman of the combined group. By 1968, Radio Rentals was the largest television rental group in Great Britain with 1.6 million subscribers.
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Radio Rentals
Radio Rentals was founded in 1930 by Percy Perring-Thoms in Brighton, Sussex, UK, to rent out radio receiving sets. It later offered televisions and videorecorders for rent. Radio Rentals was the largest television rental group in the UK and claimed that at its peak it had more than two million customers, more than 500 shops, 3,600 technicians, 2,700 skilled installers and a large ancillary staff. It had sales and service locations across the UK; the Radio Rentals logo being a common sight on many High Streets. The business still trades in Australia.
Radio Rentals started life in Boyces Street, Brighton, Sussex, England. As well as renting radio receiving sets, it also guaranteed their service and maintenance. It was the first such business in the United Kingdom. Turnover in the first year was £780 (equivalent to £44,081 in 2025).
A limited company, Radio Rentals Limited, was incorporated on 19 August 1933 and by 1936 had shown rapid growth, becoming the largest such organisation in Great Britain, adding 12,000 subscribers in 1935-36 and covering almost the whole of the home counties, the Midlands and the South of England. At the time, the company's headquarters were at 92 Regent Street in London and had branch offices and showrooms in Birmingham, Brighton, Canterbury, Croydon, Southampton and Southend-on-Sea. A maintenance and services depot was in Kennington. The radio receiving sets were made by E. K. Cole Limited.
Radio Rentals operated mainly in the UK, but opened an Australian branch in Sydney in 1937. In the 1960s, the group expanded into Italy with Telenoleggio.
The growth of BBC Television and then ITV after the Second World War encouraged more people to want TV sets, but they were expensive, creating an opportunity for Radio Rentals and its competitors to offer them at a monthly rental price which was much more affordable.
By 1959 all Radio Rentals sets were made by a subsidiary company, Mains Radio Gramophone, based in Bradford. In October 1960, Radio Rentals acquired the Baird Company and in December 1960, Mains Radio Gramophone changed its name to Baird Television.
Radio Rentals acquired Recordacall in 1962, a company renting telephone answering equipment, which started to be made by Baird Television. In October 1962, the group acquired Dawes Radio Group.
In 1964, Radio Rentals merged with Rentaset (previously known as Relay Exchanges), Joseph Robinson's similar company, which also owned Goodmans, bringing the group's outlets to 750 and assets to £55 million. Founder-chairman and managing director Perring-Thoms died in July 1964. Robinson later became chairman of the combined group. By 1968, Radio Rentals was the largest television rental group in Great Britain with 1.6 million subscribers.