This week we made the annual pilgrimage to London for our industries annual trade show, something that Alan has done for over 55 years. In BACTA’s 50th anniversary year, our founder and chairman was recognised for his service, dedication and innovation to the sector. A career that began 66 years ago!

  • Aged 13, Alan set up AB Audio which he ran until the age of 18, repairing gramophones, building crystal sets, valve radios and record auto changers.
  • Aged 18, Alan set up Cavalla electronics where he invented Sound to Light which eventually led to his involvement in the Jukebox industry. After many months of visiting large organisations trying to sell in his invention, he eventually ended up in front of Billy Butlin who also turned this opportunity down. Rather forlorn Alan headed back to Leeds and on his journey called into a transport café where he saw a jukebox and had the Eureka moment. This was the perfect product for his Sound to Light system. In 1965 he demonstrated his design to a local coin op supplier and they loved it! Alan began work as a consultant, overseeing the installation of the Sound to Light system across their estate. In 1969 Headingly Properties bought Alan out and he began working for them as technical manager. His first job was to attend the ATE (Now EAG) to launch NSM Jukeboxes to the UK market. Alans commitment to the industry was well and truly shown at this exhibition as he had only been married on the Saturday prior to the show – His honey moon was spent at the show, with the company providing an upgrade to his hotel for the week!
  • In 1978 Alan left to set up Sound Leisure (SL) with the intention of manufacturing a British built Jukebox. This was achieved in 1980 when the first vinyl playing Juke was launched. At the same time he set up Atom Computers in Nottingham which is still owned by SL

* In 1983 SL re-introduced the Classic Jukebox range to the International market,

  • In 1988 SL launched their CD playing Jukeboxes, Alan also revealed the worlds first digital audio playing jukebox at the same event. This was so advanced that MP3 hadn’t even been invented! The invention paved the way to how we listen to music to this day and it took 12 years for the industry to catch up!
  • In 1998, SL introduced the worlds first satellite downloading video jukebox. this was successfully rolled out throughout the U.K
  • In 2017 SL reintroduced vinyl playing 45 Jukeboxes to the world, 3 years ahead of any of their competition.
  • In 2019 SL introduced the vinyl LP playing Jukebox.
  • In 2023 SL signed a deal with the Wurlitzer family to reintroduce the most famous name in the Jukebox industry.

Aged 78, Alan is still active in the business, still inventing and striving for perfection. He has created jobs and manufactured memories for millions of people world-wide and as such we fully agree that his dedication and innovations were rightly recognised by the industry.