Customers at Hastie’s Farm Licensed Restaurant got a nice surprise on Monday 30th October 1967.

The restaurant and bar, just off Victoria Street was packed as normal on that Monday night as families socialised. In the corner in previous weeks was an empty space where the black and white TV had been for watching evening sport, but it had been broken and had been removed for several months.

That Monday, customers were delighted to see a brand new TV in the corner which owner Robert (Bobby) Brown had purchased. Bobby took great delight in halting the social occasion asking for everybody’s attention and directing them to look over towards his latest purchase.

He switched on the new TV and there it was! In Colour!

There were gasps as people huddled around to watch the sporting commentators in full colour. Bobby had bought the TV in July and had kept the secret to himself, using it himself, finally getting round to putting it into the business in October.

Beaming with pride, newspapers covered his story indicating that it was likely the first colour TV to be installed in any public or business premise in Blantyre.

Bob Brown is pictured at Hasties around the same era.

Can YOU remember seeing your first colour TV? (Perhaps a question for people of a certain age)