You are in the Special Features Lifestyle section - articles about leading nostalgia and retro businesses and websites

Your life stories are part of your Family Heritage... whether it's your grandparents, your mum or dad, or an aunt or uncle, don't you love to hear them tell stories about their experiences, the people they have known - and what life was like when they were young? Here Digger talks to Mike Page about his Family Heritage Video production company that offers a perfect way to capture those family memories and stories for all time.

Growing up, Killian McNulty accumulated a vast knowledge in the field of fine furniture and antiques almost by accident, as he accompanied his father to various antiques shops, fairs and auctions. Realising he had inherited his father's passion for great and classic furniture and accessories, as well as an in-depth expertise. Killian established an antiques and furniture business. Digger talked to Killian about his business and love of these classic pieces of design.

 

Digger talked to Eddie Czestochowski about his business selling vintage razors, shaving equipment and accessories. Eddie is also offering a replating and renovating service for razors that have seen better days.

Digger talked to Helen at Retrodec the Home of Vintage, Retro and Rockabilly Lifestyle, Interiors, Gifts, Collectibles, Toys, Jewellery and Retro Beauty.

 

Harold Baim was a prolific British film producer, director and writer of 35mm 'quota-quickies' and 'short features.' His early films featured variety acts; his later films were mainly colourful widescreen travelogues filmed in Great Britain, Ireland, Europe, the Middle East and Asia with commentaries by celebrated actors and broadcasters including Telly Savalas, Nicholas Parsons and Terry Wogan. The Baim Collection offers researchers and programme makers a colourful window on the post-war period - especially the fifties and 'swinging-sixties.' Here Digger talks to Richard Jeffs who is the custodian of The Baim Collection.

 

Here, Digger talks to Valerie Thornton, proprietor of Iconic, a vintage/retro shop nestling below the beautiful Edinburgh Castle in The Grassmarket, about her, and partner Robert's, love of curios, antiques, jewellery, glass, ceramics, quirky collectables and retro items.
 

Here we find out about Off The Rails Signs, where proprietor Phil can supply authentic-looking upvc versions of those classic railway signs featuring any 'message' or wording you care to include. Digger talked to Phil about these signs and the other railway-related items he offers, including DVDs and books.

 

Ed Ewing and his partner Frenesi run a VW Camper business in Blakeney Norfolk (as well as a holiday homes business.) Talula and Ruby – both imports from Australia – are his two main vehicles, an early and a late bay from the 1970s. They have been refurbished, fitted out and re-trimmed to the highest standard, and Ed’s mechanic – known as Doktor Dub – keeps them in tip-top condition...

Here Digger, who remembers a lot of these patterns the first time around, talks to Gary about UK Wallpaper who offer a wide range of fab and funky retro-themed wallpapers.
 

Here we find out about Viv and Terry's Retro China Hire business which offers a full hire, delivery & collection service of vintage china for any event, though with the focus primarily on weddings.

 

Many 20th century designs and objects, formerly disposed of as 'old-fashioned', are now recognised as great pieces of design and solidly made to last. Those that remain are highly-prized. The same is true for 50s, 60s and 70s accessories such as lighting. Here Digger Barnes talked to Nathan O'Driscoll at Retroworld Online about this busy and thriving marketplace.

Here Digger talks to Patrick at The Epstein House Hotel about the former family home of the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein. Ideally placed for music and football fans in Liverpool's Anfield, the guest house offers Epstein memorabilia and an insight into The Man Who Made The Beatles (and many other musicians and singers) and who changed the face of popular music for all time.
 

Here Digger talks to Sian Ellis-Thomas from The CDCard Company about their unique greeting cards and how they built a business on memories!

Here Digger talks to Kevin James at Printsplace Online. Based in the historically significant grounds of Bletchley Park, PrintsPlace Online is an online digital archive of some 100,000+ (and growing) images. These are available to order as prints and canvases of various sizes, framed or unframed Worldwide.

Cara-Lee is a Liverpool-based photographer who is inspired by fifties and sixties popular culture and style. Cara-Lee creates photo shoots out and about on location, looking at the world from her artistic perspective. Here Digger talk to Cara-Lee about her inspirations and her work.

The Donald McGill Museum pays homage to Donald McGill, who spent his life creating 'saucy' and satirical comic artworks for the then thriving postcard industry.


 

Graham Fisher's International It’s A Knockout - without doubt the biggest & most professional It's A Knockout company.
Here, Digger talks to Graham Fisher about his original and best It's A Knockout company, now in its third decade of operation...
 

Dub-Box is the two-berth, retro caravan that merges the best in cool with the convenience of comfortable camping. Here, Digger talks to Dub-Box creators Matt and Becky about this innovational and inspirational merging of retro cool and modern convenience camping.

Subbuteo was a mainstay of childhood, teenage, and often adult, pastimes back in the pre-technology days of the sixties and seventies and has remained popular to this day. Be they football, cricket or rugby - Subbuteo is very hands-on and interactive and provides a terrific platform to satisfy people's passions for the game and for their favourite teams. It also attracts huge collecting and trading among the aficionados. Here Digger talks to Pete at Subbuteo World about the world of Subbuteo and table football.

The Ball Chair and the Bubble Chair have become classic design symbols of a time when people, such as their designer Eero Aarnio, were experimenting with materials and throwing away conventional views on what furniture should look like and how it should be formed.
 

Digger went up to Leeds to meet Conrad Davies at Hammer Films Art. Conrad is producing beautiful mounted prints of some of the most memorable images from the iconic Hammer Horror movies. The quality of these prints has to be seen to be appreciated - they are stunning and come from a time when the publicity department at Hammer knew more than a thing or two about lighting and photography. Conrad is clearly passionate about this imagery and about producing and offering the best possible quality reproductions of these great shots from these Classics of the genre.
 

Terry and Gary were running a successful Jaguar business and wanted something to complement the business that would be fun. The VW camper has really dramatically increased in popularity with tourers and festival-goers in the last few years. Today, The Bristol Camper Company has built up a fleet of Vdubs and other vehicles for the fun-loving and retro-minded to enjoy. Here Digger talks to Terry about the company and their iconic Vdubs.

Digger talked to Will at Keep It Sweet about their popular retro-themed sweets. These are bringing back happy memories for parents and grandparents and creating new ones for the youngsters.
 

Back in the day, just about everybody had a Mini. Peter Sellers, John Lennon, George Best, Twiggy. Today, you can take a tour around London in an iconic classic mini. Take in the wealth of history and of popular culture London has to offer in a nippy vehicle synonymous with the swinging sixties and with an expert and friendly guide at the wheel. Here Digger talks to smallcarBIGCITY founder Robert Welch about the tours and his company.

Digger talked to Paul at The Canal Warehouse, satisfying the big demand for canal memorabilia amongst holidaymakers and aficionados of Britain's historic and beautiful waterways, both in the UK and overseas.

Mike Daly specialises in the sale of used coaches and buses worldwide. These retro coaches and buses are used for all sorts of purposes, including as band buses and play buses or for use for exhibitions and touring promotions.

Digger talks to Frenchman Gerard Simi, who knows 'the Burlesque business' inside-out, having been the creative and artistic force at London's famous Raymond Revue Bar and The Windmill among many other roles. He later became the owner of the Raymond Revue Bar for seven years. Gerard runs The Burlesque Factory, and he is probably the most specialised choreographer and Artistic Director of Burlesque and Cabaret in Europe. Now after more than 25 years training exceptional performers to perform in his Spectacular Revues all over Europe and the World, he offers you the chance to learn, develop and reach your full potential as a ‘Lady of Burlesque’...

Digger talked to Andy Anker who runs the family businesses Halcyon Classic Parts and HDM. The core business is founded on their keystone products - goggles, helmets and mirrors. These products are popular with aficionados of classic motoring and aviation - Halcyon are recognised for their quality and design.

Classic Furniture 4 U
David Friedman together with Ben Hazan runs Classic Furniture 4 U, a north London-based company with showrooms and a big Internet presence. As well as the UK, the company has a big customer-base in the discerning and quality-conscious European and Scandinavian market. With faithful reproductions of classics such as the Barcelona Chair or Ball Chairs, along with numerous other designs of chairs, tables, lighting and other furniture and accessories, Classic Furniture 4 U is a retro lover's paradise. Here Digger talks to David about the business.

 
 

Digger talks to James at Silverbean Trailers who make bespoke trailers that can make a powerful statement about your business. Silverbean Trailers come in four different lengths - 16ft, 18ft, 20ft and 23ft. Each one is handmade, from the galvanised 'ladderframe' chassis right up to the individually riveted aluminium panels. Inspired by the vintage American Airstream trailer, the Silverbean has a highly-polished exterior skin and unique curved end caps. The 4 standard lengths mean James can provide you with a unique and amazing eye-catching trailer, tailor-made (or should that be trailer-made?) for Corporate Entertainment, Events, Catering and more.

Digger talked to Dean Smith. Based in Billericay, Essex, Dean paints his favourite icons from our wealth of pop culture. Elvis, Paul Weller, Hendrix, George Best, Michael Caine, The Beatles. Dean also runs art courses for those looking for a creative and relaxing remedy to the stresses of modern life.

The Classic Car and Retro Show
Digger met Tim and Jane Bussell who run The Pure Nostalgia Classic Car and Retro Show event in Essex. Tim is a devoted classic car enthusiast and Jane loves vintage and retro fashion. Each year their main Classic Car & Retro Show is held in June, at The Lawn Historic Country House, Rochford, Essex.

Manchester and Liverpool have undergone dramatic transformations in their roles, going from industrial powerhouses to cultural, historical and cultural centres. Ray Hoerty runs a number of diverse tours celebrating the vast wealth of history, creativity and culture these cities have to offer. From Oasis to The Beatles, from Lowry to Liverpool FC, the cities provide a fantastic array of interests and attractions. Here Digger talked to Ray about his tours and about these two great cities.

Sell My Retro is an auction website dedicated to older retro and vintage electronics and computers. The designers and creators of these original machines could only have dreamed about the computing power available to us today and the functionality afforded to us via The Internet. Here Digger talks to Rich Mellor, founder of Sell My Retro, whose expertise and enthusiasm for these retro machines has resulted in the creation of this targeted auction website which brings together buyers and sellers of retro computers, arcade games, calculators and electronics.

Digger talked to Sarah-Jane at Iconic Rental about these Airstream trailers, so evocative of the fifties rock and roll era and an iconic piece of Americana

Routemaster Hire offers iconic London Routemaster Buses and VW campers for hire for special events - Birthdays, Anniversaries, Parties, Tours, Events, Corporate Events, Weddings and Vintage Bus Hire. Routemasters are "as London as London can be."

Retro GT was inspired by founders Gary and Lawrence's passions for Retro Gaming. Retro GT sells Gaming-related T-shirts emblazoned with familiar Gaming imagery and text, as well as other products and merchandise with a Retro Gaming appeal. Here Digger talks to Gary about the business and his love of Retro Gaming.

 

Memories Postcards
Here Digger talks Dave at one of Britain's most established postcard and ephemera companies, Memories Picture Library. The archive specialises in postcards of London and the suburbs but virtually every geographical area and genre is also catered for, from aviation to zoology. Dave also runs the regular Bloomsbury Postcard and Collector's Fairs and Memories publishes the authoritative Picture Postcard Values guide. 

 

Taddy Clown specialise in Nostalgic Cards and Prints, including Mounted and Unmounted traction engine prints, cigarette cards, vanity fair, cricket, golf, football and trading cards. Here Digger talks to George at Taddyclown about this hobby-turned-business.

The 'Tab' caravan was developed in Germany as an alternative to the big, heavy, rectangular traditional touring caravans for people who want a lighter and more stylish solution. Here Digger talks to John West at Springfield Leisure about these Retro Chic Off-Road Tab Caravans.

Artist/Musician Kludo White produces artworks of Movie Heroes, Cult, Music and Rock and Roll Icons, Comic Superhero, Guitar & Classic Pop Art, VW and Campervan Paintings and more. Here Digger talks to Kludo about his career in art and music and about his love for Rock and Roll, Campervans and VW's and for pop culture imagery.

Yesterdays Toys is a small Cottage Industry based in Waltham Abbey Essex, UK and has been trading in Subbuteo, Vintage Toys & Board Games for some years now. Here Digger & Greg talk about the business that started from some items picked up at a boot sale and about their memories of toys gone by.

Here Digger talks to Jan Brown about this flourishing web-based vintage and nostalgia business with a keen eye on 40s and 50s authenticity and on doing its bit for the environment to boot!

Pirate Radio was hugely influential on Britain's popular culture, particularly in the sixties. Here Digger talks to Chris Dannatt about Pirate Memories, a site dedicated to the memory of these innovative and brave Pirate DJs and selling Pirate Radio-related merchandise.

Mini Moderns is a range of interiors products, including beautiful retro-inspired wallpapers and porcelain,  designed & produced by London-based design & branding agency, Absolute Zero Degrees. Digger talked to Keith Stephenson at Mini Moderns about the brand and their products. 

Digger talks to Michael Hold at AIRSTREAM EUROPE about these American-style trailer/caravans with a strong European influence in terms of build, design and components. 

Here, Digger talks to John Hutton about his creation - The Park Mawgan Porth in Cornwall. This is an eco-friendly and totally new kind of holiday experience for people of all ages. The park  features Vintage Airstreams and Yurt tents, among other forms of accommodation. All located in a beautiful woodland setting...

Steve Norris has written a new novel that will change your views on the political stability of Britain forever. Already attracting a number of rave reviews, Digger talked to Steve about the book and his writing.

Here, Digger talks to John at Homefront History, dedicated to keeping alive the spirit of remembrance for the wartime generation. This relatively new business has already made a big impact and a lot of friends on the forties scene.

Digger talked to Matthew Savage who identified early on a worldwide market for quality Betty Boop collectables. Betty Boop 4U provide a friendly and highly-informed service on all aspects of Betty Boop collectables and the largest range of items.

Hornby is a household name and is famous as the UK brand leader in the model railway hobby. The company's founder was Frank Hornby (1863 - 1936) who applied for a patent in 1901 to protect an invention he called 'Improvements in Toy or Educational Devices for Children and Young People'. Nobody then could have imagined how this product would influence the model railway hobby that we know today...

Digger talks to Perry at Airstream Europe.com / Belrepayre  - An Airstream trailer/retro caravan park in a beautiful setting in France facing the Pyrenees mountains. With a number of Airstreams to hire, each with a different Retro theme, this is an perfect and real Retro holiday destination.

Here, Digger talks to Simon at GWRA Railwayana Auctions about his business buying and selling railway and other transport-related memorabilia. Everything from enamel signs to posters, clocks, nameplates, whistles and tickets.

Michelin have resurrected the iconic I-Spy brand and Digger caught up with Ian Murray and Jana Khawam at Michelin to ask them about the history of the I-Spy range and about this new incarnation of the series which features 24 titles with more planned.

Digger talks to James at Over The Moon Tents and Vintage Tents. The Great British Outdoors and camping have undergone a rebirth in the last few years, due to the impact of the festival culture and the increasing popularity of retro and vintage. So much so, in fact, that Over The Moon have launched a Vintage Tent service and website.

Here, Digger talks to Bob Harrop whose figurines company has established itself as the market leader for iconic Collectable Figurines featuring favourites from TV, Comics and Film as well as their famous Doggie People range.

Here Digger talks to Jason at London Classic Bus Hire - offering the old fashioned London Routemasters, an iconic symbol of the best of London. Jason has always had a passion for vintage buses and this turned into a business. Today London Classic Bus Hire has a fleet of buses and coaches offering all manner of services, tours and packages and is in demand for corporate events, weddings, parties and film and TV work.

Richard Stark at The English Caravan Company is building stunning and stylish caravans based on designs from the 30's through to the 50’s. Here, Digger talks to Richard about his love of these old designs and traditional materials and techniques blended with modern comfort and specifications.

Here Digger meets up with Becky and Glynis at Retro Bazaar. Retro Bazaar offers original items of furniture, phones, clocks, radios and other Retro paraphernalia, all in reconditioned and restored, and in the case of Retro devices, fully-working, tip-top condition.

Here Digger talks to Bernard Brown, expert at the 50's Furniture Warehouse, about the popularity of vintage and classic furniture. This spans from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian periods, the deco era and right through from the forties to the seventies.

Digger talks to Glenn at Cameo Specialist Auctioneers about their specialist film and music auction. Cameo started as a small family antiques business and is now one of the main players in UK auctions.

In 1964 The Beatles stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel on the banks of Loch Earn. Now Beatles fans can follow in the footsteps of John, Paul, George and Ringo and experience a memorable stay at the Four Seasons hotel and chalet. 

Forget ordinary caravans!! Now there's a super-cool alternative to buying just another box on wheels ... Silver bullet. Here we talk to Peter Carrick about these stunning retro caravans available in many sizes.

People these days are spending more of their time and money on restoring, maintaining, conserving and looking after their older houses and period properties. The Heritage Store caters for a need for traditional tools and supplies as well as homeware and traditional-style home decorations to be available in one place. Here Digger talks to Leanne at The Heritage Store.

The Mountcutter Ltd is a company that specialises in making mounts, not just for pictures and for hobbies, but for many other  applications. Here Mark and Sue tell us more about the business.

Darren West, artist and neon glass blower at Icatchers neon, talks to Digger about his work. Darren's latest additions to his portfolio include neon guitars and he has built up an impressive list of clients and collaborations as a result of his amazing bespoke neon artworks and sculptures.

Here we look at the history of tartans and find out how House of Tartan are continuing to promote the great traditions of tartan and make it available to a worldwide customer base.

Digger talks to Simon at Nostalgia Cars, where the classic and the modern come together to create wonderful replicas of the famous Jaguar XK and C-Type marques. These are available in component form for self-build or delivered complete and ready to drive.

Founded in 1956 Corgi has captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of boys with its 60+ years history of manufacturing die cast toys. What were toys to the children of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s are now high priced collectable items, with some toys fetching thousands of pounds at auctions today. Corgi still today produce both toys and collectables, with ranges of high quality limited edition aircraft, trucks, cars, buses and TV and Film memorabilia. Corgi's  Martyn Weaver tells us more.

The Battersea Pen Home is run by Simon Gray and Sean Lovell - its two founding partners and specialise exclusively in buying, selling and repairing pens and pencils, both modern and vintage. Here, Digger talks to Simon.

Angela and Matt Whittaker got fed up with the bland look of their car and so decorated it with flower stickers. From that small beginning has developed a 'cottage industry' business that now looks as though it could end up going worldwide...

Haydn Brand has a passion for London Transport memorabilia and collectables which you can share via his website. On offer are items of original paraphernalia from the bus and tube networks and infrastructure, including station name signs and roundels, indicator boards, directional signs, bus and tube destination signs and many more.

In 1964, or thereabouts, an unknown artist created four designs to be put forward to the tobacco companies in the USA. This artwork, was designed for the packaging of four of the leading varieties of Marijuana at the time. It was hoped by the Flower Power Children that marijuana would be legalised in the USA and sold over the counter. These designs were to form the branding for those cigarette packs. These designs were once lost to the world and only found some 37 years later. Here, Digger talks to Rod Hedges who has made these wonderful prints available for sale.

 

Here, Digger talks to Malcolm Wagner who runs The 1940s and 50s Clothing Company. Malcolm's vintage business started as a hobby, as they invariably do, and now he runs an online shop selling the clothes he loves to customers he often counts as friends. When not running the business, Malcolm can be seen at various 40s-themed events around the country.

Magic Dragon Toys is a family run company who supply the kind of toys you had as a child. Traditional toys of good quality, which have an educational value and are well manufactured. Here Digger talks to founder Lesley about the business.

Whether you are a keen collector of old toys or just want to recapture some childhood memories, John at Tortoys offers a constantly-changing selection of vintage diecast vehicles and constructional toys, mainly made before 1970. 

Digger talks to Debbie who runs Vintage Style Gifts and MeggyMoos, two websites specialising in retro and vintage-style and shabby chic accessories for the home. 

Digger talks to Lorna at Rock Artist Studios. Lorna offers you Vinyl Vehicle Decals and Waterproof Vinyl Stickers for customising Custom Bike Tanks and other Vehicles. Skateboard Stickers, Helmet Stickers, Guitar Decals and more. And Lorna has big plans for Rock Artist Studios, including some exclusive art and books.

Alter Ego Portraits  - Boudoir and 1950s Vintage Pin Up Photography Experiences believe that every woman is glorious, feminine and gorgeous regardless of shape, size, age or weight. Their photo shoot experiences are designed to flatter and inspire confidence and leave you feeling simply amazing!

We look at back2theforties.com where you can buy Forties-themed music, clothing, movies, gifts and much more. The site is relatively new and they are adding to their ranges all of the time so it is worth popping in and popping back regularly.

Digger talks to Phil Bearman who has produced various Themed Visuals on DVD, designed for themed parties & events. Supplied on an auto-looping DVD for unattended continuous playback. These include Hollywood, Spy, Casino, Seventies, Patriot, Salsa, Kids Party, Eighties and many more.

Digger talks to Rupert Whyte at Historic Car Art about the business and the popularity of historic motoring art in all it's forms - posters, paintings, etchings, drawings, prints and sculptures. These items are not only great to look at but are proving to be good long-term investments. These days Historic Car Art has established itself as the leader in the field.

Comet Miniatures for Model Kits, Gerry Anderson, Bond, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Collectibles, Weaponry, Rocketry, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Airfix, Corgi

Digger talks to Ian Pycroft whose company Black Knight Historical provides fascinating and impressively ambitious, authentic and well-researched costumed interpretations of historical events and characters spanning the last 2,000 years of history.

Retro 36 - Bringing you cool stuff & groovy gear since 1974, baby! Retro36 were pioneers in the retro shopping world, starting in the early 70s when The Internet and SatNav were things you might see in a science fiction movie. John and the team run a friendly and helpful business and are proud to have many loyal clients from all around the world looking for funky, wacky or fun retro stuff. Here, Digger talks to John at Retro36.

Digger talks to Brian Davey who runs Nostalgia Amusements. The TV and Film industries and a large number of corporate clients and events rely on Brian and his vintage amusements equipment company to help make their productions go with a flourish and to provide that authentic vintage look. All of his machines are in full working order. You will certainly have seen Brian's slot machines, juke boxes and amusements on a number of TV productions over the years.

The Internet is a great place to locate items that bring back memories of your youth. That's what Nigel at Vintage Toys and Games discovered and very quickly his collecting hobby turned into a business - one that now makes him a living and provides him with an enjoyable reason to get up in the morning.

Here, Digger talks to Ash Waller at Tippers Classic & Vintage Plates about the business which was established in 1932. Classic, Vintage and Veteran cars demand that finishing touch - the authentic number plate, and these days cars from the sixties and even the seventies are candidates for That Tippers Touch.

Digger talks to Kevin Eames at Chester Ghost Tours. Chester is one of the cities that claims the 'most haunted' title and here Kevin explains why Chester is the perfect place to visit and why a tour with Chester Ghost Tours is a must as part of your stay.

Digger talks to Nicole at The Hourglass. As a stylist and photographer, Nicole recognised a gap in the market for real women to be photographed in 30s, 40s and 50s pinup style. She has built-up a strong and faithful client base and has gained a reputation for offering enjoyable and rewarding photoshoots.

Kiss My Airstream rents Airstream trailers. Whether you are looking for a day or a month or a year. If it's for promoting your business or as a backdrop for your party or event. They have the Airstream for you! Phil Evans tells us a bit more...

Andrew Gray is Managing Director of Timereel Studios; a film production company based in Norwich. Using original archive footage, much of it that has never been seen before, Timereel creates unique and evocative films showing how the lives of ordinary people were affected by extraordinary events. These include a number of titles covering London, Kent and East Anglia.

Digger asks Justin Allman at Picture-Picture some questions. Picture-Picture has evolved into a trade and retail outlet offering a unique blend of 'wall space artwork' covering every imaginable subject from Sci-Fi to Sport! These include Photographs, Triplepix, Collectors Cards, Pencil drawings and Prints and Gold Discs.

Pineapple Ice Bucket Retro owner Sophie Crocket tells us about her business. Not only is Pineapple Ice Bucket Retro the home of pineapple ice buckets (and many other variations) but also an eclectic mix of funky things - all sorts of home ware, vintage fashion and accessories. 

Here, Digger talks to Patrick van der Vorst at Valuemystuffnow.com about this fantastic new service that is going to revolutionise the way we look at and evaluate our heirlooms and valuables.
 

Yesteryear create high-quality audio-visual nostalgia products that celebrate Britain's glorious past. Here, Digger talks to John Boyden at Yesteryear who formed the enterprise with Andrew Humphries. They talk about how the business was created, about Yesteryear's products and their plans for the future.

The Advertising Archives was established in 1990 by Larry and Suzanne Viner and is the largest and most comprehensive resource of its kind in Europe. The collection comprises over 1 million catalogued images – 50,000 of which are searchable online.

ProTelX have re-created a range of the most popular styles of reproduction retro phones – authentic looking phones that are constructed to a high standard, replicating the true feeling of a robust phone created at time when things were “built to last”,  yet ensuring that they are fully functional with today’s modern analogue telecom networks (BT, Virgin, Telewest etc.)

Tiger Airways specialise in providing the public with the chance of 'hands on' flying in World War Two Vintage, Open Cockpit, Bi-Plane, Training Aeroplanes from the Tiger Moth era. Digger talks to Chris Rollings about their flights and the background to the company and the Tiger Moth.

Here, Digger talks to Gordon Ayres who has been photographing the British and Continental 1930s, 40s, 50s retro scene for over 20 years. Using techniques culled from the classic Hollywood period, Ayres finds inspiration in both the studio glamour photographers of the time, and the grainy reportage style of the dime newspaper reporters. With the use of quality vintage lens and studio lamps he creates the exact feel of the look of the 20s to the 50s- for whatever the occasion.
 

Llanerch are a country publishing company based in Somerset. They specialise in small print editions and facsimile reprints of old books and ancient texts, many of which have been painstakingly translated from the original language. Their wide range of books cover many historical periods and subjects and are available to order through their catalogue and website. Here, Digger talks to Debbie at Llanerch about her passion for these books and what she is doing with the business.

Crazy About Magazines specialises in the sourcing and supply of Celebrity magazine back issues and Vintage magazines  They currently have 10,000 magazines in stock. It all started, as things often seem to do, as a hobby and interest, and now has blossomed into one of the most successful such services on The Internet. Here, Digger talks to Jackie who owns and runs Crazy About Magazines.

Battle Honours are the UK's leading company offering walking battlefield tours. Lead guides Julian Whippy and Clive Harris are renowned for their unbounded enthusiasm, passion and vast knowledge of their subject. Here, Digger talks to Clive Harris.

Phil Lewis runs Historical Footsteps Tours, where he will take you on guided tours of key locations of historical interest. The tours include The Blitz, The Kray Twins & Jack The Ripper and there are several new tours in the pipeline.

Hugh Hamilton has been in the antique billiard table business for some thirty years. Recently, he decided he wanted to try something new and is building up a new business supplying Retro and Vintage Furniture, Lighting and Accessories. Here Hugh talks to us about his new venture.