Wurlitzer and Rock-ola will mean nothing to the iPod generation, but for one Thornton Heath businessman the retro jukeboxes are helping him to ride out the recession.

Rob Edwards, 58, has been dealing in the music machines since the 1970s and has been running his business in Thornton Road for nearly 25 years.

Highly collectable American Wurlitzer and Rock-Ola jukeboxes, which cost just a few pounds in the 70s, now sell for between £3,000 and five figure sums.

Mr Edwards said: “The cheapest one I have in my shop is £250, I have another for £500.”

He has just sold a Rock-Ola Regis 200 (1961) for £3,000 to a couple who have been saving up to buy one for their home.

He said: “It goes back to when I was a kid I was fascinated with pinball machines. I used to try and build my own with Meccano but that was never very successful.

“In the 60s when I was at school, one of the guys had a pinball machine - we bought it from him for £6, set it up in the boarding hostel and we set it up there for tuppence a go.”

He soon graduated on to juke boxes.

“I used to buy old jukeboxes from cafes and fix them up and sell them. There were not many people doing that in the 70s.

“When I left college I thought I would try and live off it and placed an advert in Time Out.

“In the first week no one contacted me and I thought I might have to give it all up. In the second week two people called up and I made £20, I felt like the richest man in West Norwood, I gave my mum 10 shillings.

“I have been dealing in jukeboxes for the past 20 years. I still love those things, it is a nice job.

“Sales have been down but I am still able to make a living because I do repair jobs for people."

Jukebox City is located at 108 Thornton Road.