About Us

Steve Hill Television Services is a husband and wife team. I have been in the trade for over thirty years, having served an apprenticeship and completed The City and Guilds course in electronics mechanics at Weston Super Mare Technical College. As a company we aim to provide a customer service second to none and since the addition of my wife Yvonne in the office we are always at the end of the phone…or not far away – we will always return your call. Based in Minehead, West Somerset, our service area extends in all directions as far as Taunton, Wellington and Bridgwater to the East, Dulverton to the South and Lynton and Lynmouth to the West…and of course all areas in between.

I started work as an apprentice at The Williton Motor and Television Company, way back at the end of the 70’s. I can still remember my first day as a scared 17 year old like it was only yesterday. Here I was trained by three of the cleverest people I had ever met – Tony Duddridge was just a legend and had looked after my parents TV for as long as I can remember, he was responsible ( along with my Mum ) for getting me the apprenticeship. Then there was Ron Lewis, he was a genius engineer and also manager of the service department, and lastly there was Martin Tarr, he was also an apprentice but a couple of years ahead of me. It was Martin who taught me more than anyone, maybe because all the knowledge was fresh in his mind or maybe because we related better, both being teenagers.

I was also sent to Weston Super Mare Tech once a week where I learned electronics theory, broadcast technology, maths and television mechanics. Working in Williton I learned much more than how to repair televisions, I also learned a healthy respect for our customers. It was important that we always understood their needs, whether repairing something for them or selling a new TV, we would take as long as they needed to make sure their needs were met. I find this sadly lacking in todays retail world where your money is taken by uncaring salesmen who then wipe their hands of you!  Back then we were one of the few shops in the area that could supply a new TV and we realised it was a huge investment, we would always deliver it and leave it with the customer for several days, making sure they were entirely happy before purchase.

During my apprenticeship the company was bought by the Co-Op, they had two retail outlets in Taunton selling Televisions, Videos and Hi Fi’s as well as other electrical items, so as well as wanting our premises for a new supermarket, they also wanted the service department to look after their Television rentals. We were moved to Taunton and at the age of 20 I was given the keys to a van, a handful of job cards and was sent out to service the Taunton and Bridgwater area. This was when I stopped learning and I hated it, I had no time to repair anything in the customers house, anything more than an adjustment had to be taken back to the workshop for someone else to repair. I had no time to get to know any of the customers, so as far as I was concerned service was suffering.

Then at the age of 22 I had a very fortunate motocross accident, breaking my wrist, this meant I could not drive far or even carry a toolbox let alone a TV. At this point I was taken into the workshop on a temporary basis while I healed. I loved it so much because I was now able to spend time with a circuit diagram and actually start to complete repairs that someone else had started. I decided to make the move permanently into the workshop and before long was promoted to Grade A engineer, eventually becoming the engineer that completed the repairs that nobody else could..the impossible repairs.

I did this for another seven years, during which time I was sent on regular training courses for Sharp and Philips products, but I was now missing interaction with the customers and so, armed with everything I had learned from my teachers during my apprenticeship at Williton and the technical knowledge I had gained at Taunton, I set out to start my own business. That was 1990 and I’m still here for repairs, aerial and satellite work…or just a chat if you need advice!