The first video we ever had was a Beta. It wasn't actually called Betamax at that time.
We rented loads from a small but decent shop called Oscars in Nelson, Lancs. They are still going but i don't know if they still do rentals anymore. Back then it was their main concern. Pretty sure it's a beauty salon now.
I remember well the first three tapes rented on Beta.
The Wild Geese, Treasure of the Four Crowns* and
Scanners.
The first and i think only Beta tapes we bought were
Raiders of the Lost Ark and
Star Crash. I think i might still have
Star Crash somewhere.
Raiders was a whopping £25 from WH Smith in Preston.
*It was obvious i'd love Italian trash, er', i mean Italian classics in later life wasn't it? I was schooled in them at an early age.