How much was Ally Fraser worth?

[Auf Wiedersehen, Pet]

How much d'ya reckon Ally Fraser was worth? Was he a very rich man? Thinking about 85, owning a house in Darras Hall, 1 in Marbella plus Thornely Manor he had a few quid, but compared to today's sort of wealth....?

[Musta bin Elbowed]

He wasnt major league was he? Most heavy duty villains in the 80s teamed up with other bigtime crooks in other parts of the UK to expand their respective empires, but aside from Kenny Ames, Fraser almost seemed to be a one man band. Plus it wasnt too realistic having him making his fortune in protection and Glasgow pianos when by the mid-80s the big money was in drugs

[BarryTaylor]

Ally was a big fish in a small pond. Remember he was 'shown the route south' from Berwick, so he knows his strengths and weaknesses. I liken him to Dirty Den in Eastenders, he's the master of his turf but he won't push too much cos he knows he's not God.

Ally made cash money from his enterprises, money he couldn't put in a Bank Account easily. Remember this was the era in which Ken Dodd was tried for tax evasion, he had £366,000 in his loft!

So Ally spent the money on houses. As well as Thornley Manor, Darras Hall and Spain I bet he also paid for the house his wife lives in (she won't divorce him!)

I'd say he was close to being worth £350,000 in 1985 but with so much tied up in property or business ventures (Cannibals, The Jogging Geordie Health Club, etc) he may not have had a lot of ready cash.

[Musta bin Elbowed]

I liken him to Dirty Den in Eastenders, he's the master of his turf but he won't push too much cos he knows he's not God.

Great analogy. I like that one and it fits with Fraser's behaviour throughout the series (his mistrust of that fey bloke with the boat, etc).

Ally made cash money from his enterprises, money he couldn't put in a Bank Account easily. Remember this was the era in which Ken Dodd was tried for tax evasion, he had £366,000 in his loft!

True. But it was also the era in which Howard Marks filtered millions of pounds in drug money through a bank account in Hong Kong with deposits of suitcases full of cash

[AWP Corsa Tim]

I reckon he was worth around between 3 hundred and 5 hundred thousand.. maybe more if he had stayed legit..

[Timmy]

On a currency calculator that puts £500,000 in 1985 at about 1.6 million in todays money.

[Auf Wiedersehen, Pet]

I reckon he was worth a lot more.
Scanda Sauna, Thornely Manor, Casinos, Video Arcades, Cannibals, Villa in Marbella.....

[AWP Corsa Tim]

aye.. maybees...

[BarryTaylor]

The downfall of Ally in Spain was 'swift and merciless'. (I'm sorry I had to say it)

One minute he is running around like an Emergency 'Estate Agent' offering 'quick cash' for 'even quicker exits', the next minute he's the one that needs the cash and the exit...

I think Kenny loved it and saw a great opportunity to take a few quid off Ally.

[Auf Wiedersehen, Pet]

A gambler on pending deals without a doubt, but chances like that are how you hit the big money if it pays off.

[AWP Corsa Tim]

I reckon if he hadn't come across the lads he may have still ended up in the shite one way or another.. was too much of a risk taker!!