Well known Eastbourne television and white goods retailers Davis TV at 34a Church Street, Old Town, celebrate an impressive 70 years trading in 2023. A true family business, it all kicked off in 1938 when young Ray Davis asked his science master at school how he could learn about electronics. He was advised to join the RAF which he promptly did. The 2nd World war started the year after and huge resources were channelled into the development of RADAR, Britain’s new secret weapon.
Ray was sent to Iceland to work on the development of the RADAR net that warned us of incoming enemy aircraft. The skills he learnt in the RAF were the foundation of what would be his life’s work, and in 1953 after several years of servicing radios and other electrical appliances he opened his first retail shop at 45 Church Street.
Television was booming in Britain at the time and Davis TV grew rapidly from 1956 to 1964 from a single shop to branches in Seaford, Hailsham, Heathfield, with a service department at 80 Seaside Eastbourne and the flagship main branch on three floors at 52 Terminus Road, Eastbourne.
Rental was popular because TV sets were expensive and unreliable, the average set requiring several servioce calls a year back then. Ray’s rental business grew to over 1,000 accounts and quality, speedy service became key to his success, which still holds true to this day at Davis TV where they still rent TVs, surprisingly some might say. But with technology changing so rapidly rental contracts still provide TV upgrades at no extra cost.
Of course, this technological change requires a skilled team of engineers. For example, Davis TV is a member of the Confederation of Aerial Industries, and their in-house ex-BT engineer can deal with all the complexities of the internal wiring and maintenance of high-end custom television installation. A service which includes online accounts and a full demonstration of all the functions available with such installations, along with access to a telephone helpline for ongoing help and advice. Commercial installations of projectors and large screen TVs are another service Davis TV offer, and they are Sussex County Cricket Clubs longest serving business partner.
A new growth area for Davis TV is white goods like fridges, freezers and washing machines. Membership of the Euronics international buying group which enales very competitive pricing has enabled Euronics to sell more Bosch appliances than any other competitor in the UK. Service is provided
by their fully qualified white goods engineers, one of whom has been fixing appliances all his working life whilst his colleague is highly skilled at dealing with integrated white goods units.
Now, seventy years after RAF trained electronics engineer Ray Davis started Davis TV the third generation of the Davis family is firmly embedded in the business, with the same dedication to customer care, and a level of service almost unique in this day and age. Davis TV is proud to have served the Eastbourne community for 70 years and plan to continue to do so with the loyalty and support of their existing client base and warmly welcoming new TV and white goods customers with seriously good deals.