Mike's Carpets: Filming begins for new advert starring famous owner 40 years on

Brothers from Bradford inspired by watching Mr Smith – star of the famous 'Mike's Carpets' on TV – as children have leased the Armley building and transformed it inside.

Furkan Sharif, 41, and his brother Urfan, 44, used to watch owner Mike Smith present in his signature style as children on the TV.

Mike Smith has owned the well-known building on Branch Road since 1979 - running a hugely successful business for more than three decades.

The site was originally built as a Methodist Chapel in 1905 and is a grade II-listed building.

Many Leeds residents will know the site with huge 'as seen on TV' posters adorning the walls during the 90s and 2000s.

Furkan – a qualified lawyer who had been working in "the corporate world" – was scrolling the news on his phone following the announcement.

Together with his brother, Furkan said he couldn't let the opportunity pass him by.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Furkan said he had spent every possible hour alongside his brother transforming the inside of the warehouse.

It recently reopened in September and has been a huge hit with Armley residents and beyond.

Now, the brothers have put together a brand plan with Mike Smith to film a new advert – with him as the lead star once again for the first time since the 80s and 90s.

Mike's Carpets advertised on local television in the 1980s and had roaring trade due to Mike's signature style of delivering offers to viewers.

Mr Smith returned to the carpet shop last week to start the filming process, with an advert now in production.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post, Furkan said: “Filming went really well, Mike was in fine form.

"The idea to bring Mike back has been a bit of a no brainer, Mike really never went away.

"His adverts from the 80’s represent a bygone era where small businesses could advertise on television and make an impact on regional-scale.

"That’s something that has been lost of recent years."

“When Mike mentioned that he still has some contacts at Yorkshire television who could put us on him in front of viewers who would recognise him and the business even after all these years, there was an opportunity too good to miss."

Furkan said he had been inspired by Mike Smith’s success.

He added: “We are taking a leaf out of Mike’s marketing book, going full charge ahead with full faith and confident in the prices of our products and quality of our services.

"As funny as it sounds Mike from the 90s is our friendly giant.

"He has been really amazing in providing us with so much advice, support and positivity, I could not ask for a better mentor.

"Whilst filming, he put so much of his time and effort into making sure that the final cut will really work.

“It was so much fun watching him turn back the years.”

The advert is planned to be released in the next month.

“Christmas is all about nostalgia!”, Furkan joked.

"It’s definitely more than just selling carpets I can tell you that.”