Radio Shops

Bristol had several outlets from the 1950’s up until the early 2000’s that sold amateur radio equipment.

Some were dedicated

  • ?? (1978-1980) in Bedminster run by Reg Gough G8NMU and agents for Waters & Stanton.
  • Home-based outlet Booths Holdings (198?-1987) run by Bernard Booth in Saltford.
Booth Holdings

There were also a few outlets which sold amateur radio equipment as a sideline such as

  • Uppington’s Tele-Radio in Pennywell Road run by G2BAR which mainly installed TV antennas.
  • AMDAT in Northville Road also sold computers/components? and was run by Terry Rowe G8NNU.
  • One of the last shops was Lowe Electronics which opened in April 1991 at Unit 6, Ferry Steps near Totterdown Bridge. It later moved to 79 Gloucester Road in Patchway to a former bank. They remained at this location until 2000 being the only remaining branch apart from the head office in Matlock. Tony G4CYE who ran the shop told me he had to hire a van after the shop had closed to get stock for Longleat rally in June of that year. That was the last event carried out by Lowe Bristol. This link is to an old catalogue which mentions the Bristol shop.
Uppingtons Tele-Radio
R E Pitt Picton Street

For pure electronics

  • R.E. Pitts in Picton Street, Montpelier
  • Croft Radio in Stokes Croft run by Lester Moon
  • Helmore & Hunt on Newfoundland Street (now the M32) opened in 1927 – also on Facebook they have some history
    “G4BWB- once you had climbed over the TVs and other junk blocking the entrance way, you could only deal with Mr. Helmore if you needed a transformer and only Mr. Hunt if you needed a valve. If either were not available for your specific requirement, then you either had to wait or come back later.  Mr. Hunt did require the old valve for ‘testing’ even if it had a broken glass envelope.  The calendar on the wall was dated 1963. Time seemed to have stopped years before that“
  • “The Radio Shop” by the church in front of the Bus Station (~1965) and latterly changed its name to Target Electronics and moved to Cherry Lane in Stokes Croft
  • Marshalls in Straights Parade, Fishponds and later in Stokes Croft.
  • AMBIT in Northville Road, Filton.
Helmore & Hunt

Unfortunately, there are few photographs of these establishments I can track down to put on the website unless you have one?

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