THOSE who missed the sell-out gig at the Beck Theatre, Hayes, last week, can still catch Chas and Dave at their upcoming show at the IndigO2 on December 12 and again at the O2 on December 19, when they will be supporting Status Quo.

Almost everyone, whether they know it or not, knows Chas and Dave. Those born in the Nineties will recall their hit Margate, which famously appeared in the Only Fools and Horses ‘Jolly Boys Outing’ episode.

Children of the Eighties will remember them as TV regulars, who lent their voices to family favourites including Crackajack and Bangers and Mash.

Those who were old enough to order a pint during the 80s will no doubt remember them as the kings of light entertainment, with their catchy pub singalong and Chas & Dave: Last Orders.

Whatever your age, there's no mistaking Chas and Dave's distinct 'rockney' style, which has won them a dedicated following over the last 50 years.

"Our music has always been honest, for both ourselves and our fans,” says Chas. “We pride ourselves on this winning combination. Now we're back stronger than ever.”

The pair marked their 50th anniversary last year with the release of an album, That’s What Happened, followed by this year’s On the Road Tour around the UK.

Since starting the tour in September, Chas Hodges (piano, vocals, banjo, guitars ) and Dave Peacock (bass guitar, vocals, piano, banjo, guitar, ukulele) have been pulling in crowds young and old, proving themselves to be more than just a nostalgia act.

The pair appeared at the Beck Theatre, Hayes, this month and Middlesex-born Chas has fond memories of the area.

“We go back a long way with Hayes,” he said. “The Rebel Rousers are all from around that area, and we played a lot with them at the Blue Moon Club. We have a good association with the area.”

Chas credits their timeless appeal to an "honest" approach, something he felt was lacking in mainstream music during the 1960s-70s.

"A lot of people were used to bands singing with American accents," he says.

He adds: "Before we got together, I was in a band singing with an American accent and felt like a fraud. We decided to become ourselves."

So, what does Chas make of today’s explosion of musical artists who have adopted an American accent?

“Everyone is free to do what they want to do,” he said. “I can hear straight away if it sounds fake, and eventually people will see through it.”

The duo began their careers as session musicians in the early 1960s, playing for a range of artists including Jerry Lee Lewis, Mike Berry and The Outlaws and Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers.

After forming Chas and Dave in 1972, they built their career on witty songs about life in London, which became strongly identified with pub culture.

Their tongue-in-cheek lyrics and light-hearted approach scored them a string of Top Ten hits over the next two decades, including London Girls, Snooker Loopy and Ain't No Pleasing You.

They were never afraid of going against the grain of popular music.

"We were doing pub and club gigs straight away. We didn't look upon it as a struggle," said Chas.

It wasn't long before the duo become household names, with regular appearances on television and their breakthrough hit Gertcha (1979), which was used in an advert for Courage Bitter.

The pair are also closely associated with Tottenham Hostpur FC, for whom they recorded several FA Cup final songs. After a brief hiatus in 2009, they reformed in 2011 for what was intended to be a farewell tour. This proved to be short-lived, and in 2013 the pair released That's What Happened - their first studio album in 18 years.

Chas says: "Warner Brothers expressed a desire to work with us. My son, Nick, and I had a meeting with them, went into Abbey Road and enjoyed working with them."

Nick has taken over on drums, following the retirement of the late Mick Burt.

The album has been described as a "delicate, melancholy affair" (The Guardian) and sees the pair going back to their roots, with many of the songs inspired by childhood favourites.

Chas says: "The latest album is nothing contrived. We enjoyed skiffle groups when we were kids and early blues songs."

It also features special appearances from Jools Holland, Martin Taylor, and Buddy Holly and The Crickets drummer J I Allison.

So, what’s next for the pair, with half a century of musical success already under their belts?

“We’ve got our tour with Status Quo in December,” said Chas. “They’re old mates of ours and we’re looking forward to that.”

For more information on where to catch them, visit: http://www.chasndave.net/tour_dates