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Don Amott - King of Caravans

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  • Don Amott - King of Caravans

    I know that not everyone lives in the East Midlands like I do, and so I do apologise if you don't know what I am writing about here...

    An early to mid 1980s spring or summer Friday evening just after Play Your Cards Right or Winner Takes All in the ATV / Central region - no Coronation Street until Monday evening of course - it is still light outside, and so the next programme was some American import on such as Vegas or Simon and Simon, and then perhaps a Yorkshire TV sitcom such as That's My Boy. The ad breaks would have some "summer" adverts for gardening and garden shed things such as Flymo, Qualcast, Ronseal, and DIY stores ahoy - (B&Q take a bow), especially if the following Monday was a Bank Holiday.

    One other advert seen in the region on Friday evenings would be for Don Amott, the Derbyshire-based caravan place - actually, they were based on the A38 between Derby and Burton-on-Trent, although Spondon springs to mind for some reason. Don Amott did have cult status in the years to come a la Eddie Stobart. The animated advert contained a cartoon lion with a crown on its head, and an accompanying song: "Don Amott - King of Caravans, the price is right and the choice is yours" which sounded as if Derek Griffiths had sung it, just like in his "Badger Girl" phase. So much for purchasing a 4 berth caravan... For what it's worth, the adverts here might jog your memory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNDGd_iK6Lk

    Don Amott didn't go into administration in 1992 - they are still going strong today, and one could even download the ad jingle from the early 1980s from the website just a few years ago. I heard a radio advert from around a decade ago using the same jingle and it brought back memories of the adverts. Like a lot of advert jingles, the earworm of nostalgia does affect people of my own ilk from time to time. Ads Infinitum really missed that one out. Don Amott himself is still around, and he seems to be the Chairman of Mickleover Sports apparently.

    We had those adverts even when Central's West Midlands adverts were shown throughout the region - Gulliver's Kingdom ("yee-hee-hee, yo-ho-ho, yee-hee-hee") was obviously a theme park rival to the lot more successful Alton Towers. Leave it to Lee Longlands was another one. Swithland Motors also got a lot of adverts towards the end of the ad breaks (such as the Wally character, along with Sam Fox who appeared in a couple of them, thankfully with her t-shirt covering her up), and the ATV / Central region was also where the first DFS branches started up - Darley Dale near Matlock, and Tamworth Road, Measham. Better than Yorkshire TV's regional Mike's Carpets adverts anytime.

    I don't assume that anyone remembers them due to its East Midlands only transmission... Does anyone remember any local adverts from their own ITV region?
    I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
    There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
    I'm having so much fun
    My lucky number's one
    Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

  • #2
    Re: Don Amott - King of Caravans

    I have a Swithland Motors ad on a Betamax tape from 1985, “terrific value, these Yugos!”

    and ‘Leave it to leee longlaands’ is still being used isn’t it?

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    • #3
      Re: Don Amott - King of Caravans

      I think the Lee Longlands adverts are West Midlands only - I am in the East Midlands, although I can access all the ITV regions on Sky these days.

      I had completely forgot about Lee Longlands until I saw a clip of an advert on TV Ark a few years ago.
      I've everything I need to keep me satisfied
      There's nothing you can do to make me change my mind
      I'm having so much fun
      My lucky number's one
      Ah! Oh! Ah! Oh!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Don Amott - King of Caravans

        In the Granada area on the late 70s, early 80s a very simple car sales advert but the jingle has stuck with me ever since. It was basically " B.O.C. better people to buy from"

        Couldn't get much simpler but it's up there in the memory banks with Shake and Vac and secret lemonade drinker [emoji23]


        Sent from my Phone using Tapatalk

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        • #5
          Re: Don Amott - King of Caravans

          I thought that I had not seen this advert George, but beingt on the Borders of several TV Regions, I am thinking that "yeah that is how I saw/caught it on telly" while picking up other Regional variations (but I'm unsure totaly 1000%) though

          I have to say/add though that either way it is a terrific find on your part and a great, great 80s throwback mate!!

          80sChav

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