James Preston
13/01/2023
The Broadway car park in Maidenhead in 1993.
1978: Comedian Dave Allen was on hand to act as quiz-master as teams from Twyford Centre Youth Club and local pensioners met in an annual contest.
Dave, who lived in Wargrave, signed autographs at the event, which was part of a party held for Twyford’s elderly residents.
1978: The Maidenhead skyline was rapidly changing as the new year began.
Going up was a four-storey office block at the former site of The Grapes pub in Market Street.
Coming down was the old Fuller’s Brewery malt house in Bell Street, which was razed to the ground after it was gutted by fire on the August bank holiday.
It was set to be replaced by a three-storey office block.
1983: Landlord Jeremy Capon was hounded by comments after changing the name of his Hare Hatch pub to The Whippet Inn.
Some villagers believed the new title for the former Queen Adelaide pub had naughty connotations.
Jeremy insisted the new name was not meant to be offensive, and one regular added: “You only think there is something wrong with the name if your mind thinks along those lines!”
1988: Hundreds of swimming enthusiasts took to the water at the Magnet Leisure Centre, clocking up the lengths for charity in the Maidenhead Lions Club’s Swimarathon.
Their efforts raised in excess of £9,500, which would be used to buy a soft play centre and other equipment at Clarefield Court Hospital.
1993: The district council unveiled its plan to shape future development in Windsor and Maidenhead.
The borough-wide local plan would provide a framework for development in the area up to the year 2006.
Proposals included the redevelopment of the Broadway car park to make way for a new car park and an extension to the Nicholsons Walk shopping centre.
Also mooted was the redevelopment of Maidenhead United’s York Road – with Braywick Park proposed as a new home for the football club.
1998: Furze Platt A-level students showed they knew their cosines from their Reuleaux triangles by gaining awards in the UK Senior Mathematical Challenge.
Eight of the school’s 43 A-level maths students who sat the multiple choice test were presented with bronze, silver or gold awards for their high-scoring performances.
1998: The Swimarathon was back for another round, this time raising £18,000 for charity.
More than 40 local charities were set to benefit from their share of the money raised.