Picture Past: November 8, 1968
An 18th century stagecoach, drawn by four magnificent greys, carried Father Christmas into Weston-super-Mare where he arrived at Fairfax House in High Street. Picture: WESTON MERCURY - Credit: Archant
The Government dealt Weston a major blow with a disappointing update on plans to build a new hospital.
In the weeks proceeding there had been concern at the length of time it was taking to get concrete information on the scheme.
Weston’s MP at the time, David Webster, asked questions of what was happening with the new hospital, only to be told work would not begin until 1972-3. Original promises said 1969.
The announcement provoked protests from concerned people living in Weston.
* Motorists were getting it in the neck as bad driving was leaving people irate.
In Axbridge, there were moans about inconsiderate parking in The Square, while in Blagdon buses and coaches were finding it hard to navigate narrow roads because motorists had left their vehicles on both sides of the street.
* There was some better news for youngsters living in Congresbury, however.
Most Read
- 1 Four jailed for total of more than 40 years for raid at drug dealer's home
- 2 Brilliant Bailey signs for high-flying Bristol Rovers
- 3 Man jailed for stealing high-powered cars
- 4 Named: 52 people fined for dropping cigarettes and dogs off leads
- 5 Residents fear mysterious CCTV camera is looking into homes
- 6 HGV crashes into BUILDING in Banwell
- 7 New boss Hutt 'couldn't say yes fast enough' to Winscombe post
- 8 Hornets celebrate historical promotion to National 2 West
- 9 Rat-infested house used for drug dealing boarded up
- 10 Grand Pier unveils jam-packed Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
Its parish council announced that Congresbury Youth Club would be moving to its own venue.
A place in Wrington Road was being eyed up, which had before acted as a telephone exchange.
* It was another poor week for Weston’s footballers.
A dispiriting performance away at Andover, saw the Seagulls lose 4-0, although the Mercury gave praise to goalkeeper Singleton, on loan from Minehead.
But for his performance, Andover ‘could have doubled their score’, in a one-sided affair.
The result meant Weston had only won once all season – at home to Torquay.
* Concerns around over-development tend to appear in the Mercury almost every week these days, and it was no different in 1968.
Back then it was Berrow in the spotlight with a number of houses being built.
Villager R Sims told the parish council it should be a ‘servant’ to the area, not a ‘master’.
He cited the loss of the school’s playground to build an extra classroom to take extra pupils as a sad sign of the problems.
* Plans for a new fire station to be built at Blagdon’s Yew Tree Farm were supported by the parish council.