"Every bubble's passed its FIZZical!" yelped the Ernie Bilko-voiced Head Bubble in the cartoon ads for this knobbly-bottled orangeade. Very popular in the '70s. The idea of devouring an entire army of bubbles and then belching out their remains appealed to the juvenile mind.
Do You Remember Corona soft drinks?
Do You Remember Corona soft drinks?
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InGen
on
I currently work at what used to be the Tamworth, Staffordshire, depot for Corona Soft Drinks. I'm not sure if it was a manufacturing plant for the brand or just a storage and distribution warehouse (Which is it's current function). Does anyone know any history of its days as Corona?
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creynolds
on
Hello,
I worked as a rounds supervisor @ Tyseley B.ham
We that is the Management Team had a opening visit to the Tamworth facility...the main part of the plant was to manufacture all Corona Soft Drinks plus others belonging to the Beecham Group. Within the facility it also had a office for the door to door / retail sales people
One of our supervisor Ray Froggett then went to Tamworth to organize / manage the new facility...also my brother Robert Reynolds was also in the first door to door sales team possibly about 1968 /70
Tamworth manufacturing unit then made all local depots that made on the premises the soft drinks redundant, but the sales continued for a few more years before the giant supermakets took a grip to stop virtually all door to door sales all over the UK
Hope this helps....Colin
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Liz Howe
on
Wow! Just found this sight. My Father, Eric Davies, was Area Sales Manager with the Beecham Group, based in Cambridge, his area was the whole of East Anglia. Johnnie Badcock was one of his managers!
My Dad was from the Rhondda and started as a van boy (actually started with a horse and cart) operating out of Porth. He became a manager in Aberdare, then Cardiff and then Plymouth where he was responsible for Devon and Cornwell.
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p.Coneybeare
on
I started working for Corona aged 13 and I loaded the wholesale Tk Bedfords every week Day after school. Saturday's and school holidays were spent as a van boy delivering to shops cafe's etc. It wasn't too long before I was on door to door in the famous yellow covered Bedford's. In the early 70's Corona was THE brand leader and sales of Christmas saving stamps throughout the year made the run up to Christmas and delivering Christmas orders sawus using wholesale lorries with me on the back with a spotlight as we worked way into the night on the housing estates of Exeter. Hard but happy day's with great music from Sweet, Mud, all the glam faves. Brut, platforms flakes and Brutus shirts. Loved grapple, cools and Idris shanty.
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Dave G
on
It was Peter Turner who had the Romney Marsh round out of Canterbury in those days. Those were the days. I worked at Canterbury from !969 to !1975 I think
Dave G
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TheBobMedley
on
My first ever summer job was trying to obtain Christmas orders for Corona pop by knocking on doors across north Cardiff in August 1973. I was based at the Llanishen depot in Ty Glas Avenue, was young, keen, pretty fit and raring to go. I earnestly knocked on hundreds of doors on the Llanederyn and Mynachdy estates among others and at the end of the week had earned myself the princely commission sum of £3.75. I quit.
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Ron L
on
Some interesting stories about Corona Soft Drink Door-to-Door delivery. Around 1960 I was employed as a van boy based in North Lane Canterbury depot. The Driver salesman was Peter and we covered the Romney Marsh in a 'flat bed' Bedford 3 ton truck (one of the bigger vehicles at this depot). Usually to get to our first calls on the Romney Marsh would take at least an hour, not including the café stop just outside of Canterbury!! On reaching 17 I was given permission to learn to drive with my driver/salesman teaching me, he must have been a good teacher as I passed my test 1st time in the same vehicle some 6 months later. They were some good times and to this day I still keep in touch with one of my colleagues from then. So if anyone remembers the North Lane days-the depot later moving to Vauxhall Road Canterbury, it will be interesting to hear.
To run a 3 ton truck now delivering 4 bottles of fizzy drink for a cost of about 2/8d to about 70 calls would blow a businessman's mind - so here's to the good 'ol days and anyone who remembers them.
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tonybarton2
on
My dad was a Corona man out of Canterbury - Reg Barton. I helped him on a Saturday (Chartham) and during the school holidays from the age of 9 (1962). My half brother, Ray Sequenza, also worked there for a short while. I have only the vaguest memory of the North Lane Depot (although I remember the cafe there very well!!) but I recall the Vauxhall Road one very well. I recall Elsey was the Manager, and his son (Derek?) worked there as well. I lived on the London Road Estate and used to also help Tony Bradford after school on a Friday.
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Ron L
on
Hi Tony, I remember working with your dad Reg both at the North Lane location and latterly at the Broad Oak Road C/bury depot. I said previously Vauxhall Road by mistake. It was a long while ago!!!
I also remember Ray who if my memory is correct married and lived in a place at St Radigan's Road next to what was a Youth Club. Mr Elsey as you rightly say was the manager, Peter Turner was my driver and other names you may recall are Micky Firth, Roger Wiffin and Rex Waller. I'm still in touch with Gerry who was also at both locations and now lives in Cyprus. Just remembered the previous manager to Elsey, it was Eddie Abarhams. Think that's how it was spelt.
I met my wife while covering the New Romney run and have now been happily married for over 56 years.
Now live in East Sussex after working as a rep for about 20 different companies over 45 years. Good to know there is still someone out there with knowledge of the Canterbury team. I'll be interested to hear any other information you might have tucked up your sleeve. Best wishes, Ron Larkin
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tonybarton2
on
I remember Micky Firth well. There was also quite a shy bloke I helped some times out around Sandwich - Kenny Something? I have copied all to Ray and he might have more. Probably about the gambling school that used to meet regularly instead of working the round!!!
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Ron L
on
Hi Tony, That was quick! Unfortunately Micky died some years ago but I still keep in touch with his wife Bina who lives in Northhamptonshire. Can't say I can remember the gambling school but then I was good lad who would do nothing wrong!! Not sure about Kenny but I'm sure my mate Gerry would know. He can rattle off everyone's name except one which when we see each other it gets onto who was it?
I trapped my foot in the old wooden conveyer which was used at North Lane only to finish up at Kent & Canterbury with a broken toe. Probably could have claimed thousands in compensation these days. The café outside Canterbury (Chartham Hatch) I believe was the Rose Cabin. Good cup of tea and dripping toast if available. Glad to hear Ray still causing trouble and if he remembers me give him my best wishes and tell him to lay of the 'leakers' in the crates. Cheers, Ron
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wonky
on
i have found some bottles in my loft not opend but cant find them on the internet i think from what i can see they were made in 1991 just need a bit of info on them please.
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CHRIS L
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Corona,just passed thro the brain box,so l googled it,some interesting stories,ressurrecting memories from the distant past.We had what i thought was a factory in Norwich,Norfolk,on mile cross lane,BUT could have been a depo,does anybody know?Chris L.
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68Brush
on
My dad used to be a Corona man in the south west. He used to go to all the air days in Cornwall to sell the fizzy pop and we used to go with him, spending the day handing out stickersof all the different coloured bubbles doing their exercises. My dad still has 2 or 3 brand new corona bubble soft toys - really cute, ive still got mine. Check out ebay in a couple of weeks if anyone's interested.
Brush
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Fi-aka-Mum
on
I remember a competition in the mid 1960s where you had to guess the number of bottles of corona in a picture. I guessed correctly and won 15 shillings and a corona pencil. It was the first thing I ever won and I still have the pencil!
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