OUR HISTORY
Founded by brothers Richard and Andrew Lalchan in autumn 1997, Chaplin Multimedia began by helping businesses discover what the web could make possible.
WHERE IT BEGAN
1997
Richard & Andrew Lalchan
Nearly three decades of creativity and change.
THE BEGINNING
The Chaplin name came from Chaplin Video & Internet Café, another business Richard was involved with at the time. Richard and the café’s two main partners wanted a name that brought together the past and the present: something classic alongside something new.
Our first clients came from people who visited the Internet café and saw what the web could bring to their businesses.
A shared love of film made Chaplin a natural fit. Video and Internet cafés were still a new concept, and that combination of creativity and technology carried through into Chaplin Multimedia.
As dial-up Internet became cheaper, with providers such as Freeserve making home access more affordable, more people went online. The Internet café era began to fade, while the opportunities for businesses on the web continued to grow.
GROWING WITH THE WEB
1997
Brothers Richard and Andrew Lalchan founded Chaplin Multimedia in the autumn of 1997, helping early clients turn their interest in the Internet into a presence online.
1998
The Internet boom brought huge changes to the way businesses worked. More clients came to us for websites, digital video, print and other creative solutions.
THROUGH THE YEARS
When the dot-com boom turned to bust, some early clients ceased trading. Others went on to sell thousands of products internationally through their custom-built websites.
2004
Peter Crawley joined Chaplin Multimedia as chairman in 2004, bringing valuable business knowledge from the semiconductor industry. He supported the company’s projects and helped sharpen its focus on profitability. His involvement added a stronger commercial perspective to our creative and technical work, helping us balance new ideas with the practical decisions needed to build a profitable business for the long term.
Peter’s time as chairman came to an end in 2020. He sadly passed away in 2023. His advice was always valued, and both his guidance and his presence are greatly missed.
MORE THAN WEBSITES
Over the years, our work has included websites, logos, business identities and branding; video production for local government events; and 3D animation for conference introductions. We have provided training, worked with musicians, and built web tools for healthcare organisations and entertainment venues. We have also designed bags, T-shirts, posters, pens and other products. Across that varied work, the aim has stayed the same: helping businesses use the Internet to reach people and trade with the wider world.
STILL LOOKING AHEAD
The rise of social media and mobile devices brought another shift in how businesses reach their customers. Our work evolved with it, helping websites look good and work well wherever people use them. Today, website design sits alongside SEO, AI solutions, photography, hosting and ongoing support. We look forward to helping your business write its next chapter.
