The UK Amstrad Group started out as a group of friends and Amstrad owners that meets in Surrey. We began by holding small meets in each other’s kitchens and lounges, before moving on to holding national events.
We cover all Amstrad models, the CPC, CPC Plus, PCW and even Amstrad PC and notebooks! Our members range from hardware experts, programmers and faces from the old scene, as well as many who just love the games, machines and memories with no deep technical knowledge necessary.
We recognised that so many of the major retro systems had their own amazing dedicated events and user groups, but in the last couple of decades there wasn’t one for the UK Amstrad owners. We hope to put this right by forming this user group, holding great events that bring the Amstrad community together and underline how loved these machines are in the UK.
Roland Perry is the UKAG Honorary President and once Programme Manager for the Amstrad CPC, PCW and PC projects. We are proud to have him as a source of knowledge and history at our events – his talks are not to be missed!
We also have strong connections with overseas Amstrad user groups, such as AUA in Spain, the Amstrad range has phenomenal support to this day in mainland Europe, and in many ways we hope to recreate a bit of that magic in the UK. AUA and other European groups can often be found attending our events en masse and are well worth getting to know.
UKAG events provide:
- An opportunity for fellow users to meet each other and see what is happening within the Amstrad scene.
- Our technical experts are on hand to give advice, and we may be able to offer suggestions on repairs and upgrades if you bring the necessary parts.
- At our June 2026 event there are prizes up for grabs! We hold high score challenges and the coveted Amstrad of the Meet award… with Roland as Chief Judge.
- There is also the UKAG Sales Table for users to buy and sell their Amstrad and retro items at our events. Clear out some items and find some treasure!
- Our events last all day, with plenty of food and drinks included in your ticket price and ample free parking.
We love all retro systems, particularly 8-bit. We welcome attendees bringing additional systems to display alongside their Amstrads at our events, though we can’t guarantee no good natured ribbing!
Please do join us at our events and help show that our beloved machines are alive and kicking – into the 2020s and beyond!
The UKAG founding members
Simon “Doc” Green
- Got his original CPC from Christmas 1984, and his man cave is full of retro goodness
- Favourite CPC: “It’s like trying to choose your best child!”
- Most memorable game: Electro Freddy, played with sister Helen
- Best demo ever seen: Batman demo from the Batman group
- Best repair he ever did: Detaching a conjoined 664 and 464
Adam “AmstrAdam” Pettifer
- Goes to retro events
- Can’t program
- Can only do mechanical repairs
- Die hard Amstrad though
- Never stopped fighting the Playground Wars*
- First game: Scooby Doo, Christmas 1985, Amstrad CPC disc
* “My Amstrad is better than your Spectrum!”
Jo “LightbulbJo” Cook
Back in the day, was one part of the buying and selling emporium that was Merline-Serve, along with her dad Arthur Cook.
Most well known for writing for Future Publishing magazine Amstrad Action (as her first name Angela), at the end of its run in the 90s. Also contributed to fanzines WACCI, BTL and others.
- Favourite CPC: 6128+, the NC100 has a special place in her heart too though
- First games: The basic Amstrad tape pack, loved Oh Mummy and Harrier Attack!
- And now? Editor of Training Journal magazine, in the L&D industry
Nick
His family got their first home computer, an Amstrad CPC 6128, for Christmas 1985. The external tape player they already had refused to load games (in hindsight, probably a azimuth problem) so the only game the family could play was the one, disk-based game received with the computer: 3D Stunt Rider from Amsoft.
Nick also got a GX4000 for Christmas in 1990, and, well, we all know how that one went. Nick still has his family’s original CPC and his GX4000 today and a few other retro computers collected more recently.
- Favourite CPC: 6128. A massive 128K RAM, built-in floppy disk drive, and externally connectable (without having to modify the motherboard!) tape deck.
- Most memorable game: Chase HQ
- Best demo ever seen: Batman demo from Batman group
- Best repair he ever did: Fixed the drive belt in his CPC 6128’s floppy disk drive
Chris Green
His first Amstrad was a CPC 464 with a green screen monitor, bought on launch day at Rumbelows in the Edgeware Road, London.
- First game was Amsoft’s Animal, Vegetable, Mineral – a simple but highly addictive quiz game
- Favourite CPC: 464 Plus. He expanded it to 128K, added a disk drive interface, two floppy drives, RS232 interface and modem, ROMBO Rombox full of ROMs, Multiface, a printer and more
- Chris is a multi-award-winning business and technology journalist, having worked for a wide range of newspapers and magazines including Amstrad Action, New Computer Express, Computing, The Sunday Times, Daily Mirror, The Guardian and Today
- Today, he works for the cybersecurity membership and education body ISC2 as Editor-in-Chief of its cybersecurity publication ISC2 Insights
Mac
I’ve never owned an Amstrad but in Primary school, my best friend had a CPC 6128 his Dad bought him while visiting the UK.
It was an odd beast in central Poland, but that didn’t stop us from playing games and trying to write some BASIC programs on it. The only game I remember was Sorcery, mostly because we mispronounced the name! I do remember the machine was great fun, and that fun continues today!
Rob
…Coming soon…