Video Rental Stores

There was also Tony's Video Store in the Black Prince Avenue shops (the last one going from town) and somewhere on Foleshill Road was a car spares shop (Abbey Tyres?) that specialised in Betamax tapes in the early eighties.

The one in Jubilee Crescent was called Choices

There was also Dean video down Foleshill Rd near Webster Street

Drove past today - it's been refurbished and is now "Cherry on Top"

There was a video shop on Windmill Road too. I think it may of been called JR Videos. I remember renting The Three Amigos from them

'The Video cabin' on Grayswood Av. first shop for me. But also recall a lot of petrol stations doing them over time. The petrol station on Broad lane near to the Hawthorn pub did more video rentals than sell petrol I think. Happy days.

I have a list of video rental stores of the 1990's and early 2000's, kindly provided by Ron (The Owner of 'Video World, Daventry Road'- one of the last video rental shops still running in Coventry): Stores in Coventry:

• Video vision/'Costcutter' off license. Harnall Lane, East Hillfields, Coventry.
• "Self" Video. Walsgrave Road, Coventry.
• Star Wines. Windmill Road, Coventry.
• Ringwood Wines & Video. Ringwood Highway, Potters Green, Coventry.
• Five Star Entertainment. Parkville Highway, Holbrooks, Coventry.
• D J Video. Elm Tree Avenue, Coventry.
• Charter Store. Charter Avenue, Canley, Coventry.
• Charles News & Videos. Oliver Street, Coventry.
• Deans Video. Holbrooks Lane, Coventry.
• Black Prince Service Station. Black Prince Avenue, Cheylesmore, Coventry.
• Bell Green Entertainment, Riley Square, Bell Green, Coventry.
• Bargain Booze, Proffitt Avenue, Bell Green, Coventry.
Stores Outside of Coventry:
• R & J Mason - Newsagents & General Devon Close, Nuneaton.
• Post Office. Heath End Road, Nuneaton.
• Goldstar Home Entertainment. Morgan Close, New Arley, Near Coventry.
• Cheers off license. St Margaret's Road, Leamington Spa.

Yes I used the one on Grayswood Ave and remember it well. A girl I was at St Christophers with lived in the Butchers next door. When it comes to VHS - my two 'favourite' recollections were having to take a break for fresh air whilst watching The Evil Dead from behind the settee at my mates house during the classic Video Nasty era - and the first Top-loader I'd ever seen at Peugeot-Talbot on Torrington Ave when someone left a somewhat 'dodgy' copy of a rather X rated film in the works Top-loader in the education office!

Hi All, It sadly looks as though 'Video World' (owned by Ron) on Daventry is not going to reopen, after it closed at the begining of the pandemic (early 2020). I took some photos of the store a while back when it was still running and thought I would share them here. I think 'Video World' was the last true video rental store left in Coventry (and probably rare elsewhere too). I still have my rental card for 'Video World' in my wallet for nostalgia's sake

Hi Neil, I am going back a way here but Marshall's was my regular butcher during the 60's early 70's. My two offsprings went to St. John's further along from St. Christopher's. I don't remember a Video rental shop among that row of shops so maybe a little before your time. We lived in Lincroft Cres. It's the same here too, most have closed down and we were regular weekend Videoholics.

Hi Dreamtime Yes I was at St Christopher's with Sally Marshall - I think charabanc on here - (Mr.S! my old teacher!) taught her as well.

Old VHS covers for 'Video World' (Daventry Road) video rental store:

****GOOD NEWS ALL!**** The reports of the shop's closure are greatly exaggerated hehehe I thought the store was gone forever but I've spoken with the owner of 'Video World' (Daventry Road) and he's confirmed that the shop will reopen in the next few months after a 4 year closure. So Coventry will once again have one of the last video rental stores! I hope we can all support it and keep this little sanctuary of history going strong (DVD's, new releases and Classics; and even some VHS's if you feel especially nostalgic) I for one am over the moon

Now here's a funny thing. Back in the 1990s, a colleague (long since retired) had a hobby of collecting, repairing, converting, using etc. old cine cameras, 8mm cameras and projectors, videos and suchlike. He used to help out at weekends in a friend's shop (IIRC Queensland Avenue?). They not only converted old stuff onto the new VHS format, but also hired out out videos. One day, a customer came in when there was no other customer in the shop. He approached my colleague and asked "have you got any films?". My colleague thought this a silly question, as he had just walked past several racks that were laden with films of all description. Several hundred of them, if not thousands. My colleague thought he might be a bit stupid. Not the full shilling. Stuff like that. The man then appeared to develop a nervous twitch. He leant across the counter and angled his head at 45 degrees to my colleague. His head then started to shake rapidly backwards and forwards, as if drawing attention to the counter. My colleague was puzzled. After a few seconds of this activity, he raised one hand and started to repeatedly tap the side of his nose with an index finger. At the same time, his left eye was blinking very quickly. The man then said, sotto voce, "no, FILMS!", wink wink. I believe the man left the shop disappointed, not having obtained the sort of merchandise he was seeking.