BERKSHIRE BYGONES: 'Bracknell is not a sinking ship’ - 1989 article

This rather unfortunate strapline was followed up with the opening paragraph: “Bracknell, the land of winding roundabouts, spiralling house prices, soaring land costs and redundancies.”

ALSO READ: Line of Duty fan favourite set to return this week, BBC confirm

The misery of thousands of job losses at local electronics and engineering companies had featured in a special report in Computing magazine, revealing that many employers were leaving like “rats from a sinking ship.”

But East Berkshire MP Andrew MacKay hit back at the doubters: “Bracknell is by no means a sinking ship, there are new companies moving in all the time, Nixdorf, Hewlett Packard, Oracle and Panasonic are all coming to town.”

ELEPHANT GRAVEYARD: Bracknell was making the headlines in 1989

After plans for a new gravel pit were revealed in Finchampstead a village protest group was formed called SCRAMM (Sane Country Residents Against Mineral Madness).

Over 100 protesters were joined MP Dr Gerard Vaughan during a roadside demonstration which slowed down traffic in Longwater Road, he told the group: “This plan is far too near to the local community and will alter the village character totally.”

NOT IN MY BACK YARD: Finchampstead was objecting to gravel lorries

The Wokingham Peace Group carried out an April Fools’ Day protest in the town centre 32 years ago, by cycling a “Trident nuclear warhead” to the Town Hall.

The tandem had travelled from Burghfield AWE wearing a placard that read “They say it keeps us safe- who is the April Fool?”

Spokesperson for the group Brian Morris told the News: “Seemingly unlimited resources are made available for these weapons, while local hospitals rely on charity appeals.”

NO JOKE: CND protesters arrived in Wokingham on a tandem

Military precision was on display when Prince Philip watched the annual sovereign’s parade at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst.

In sub-zero conditions over 800 trainee officers impressed their guest of honour whilst hundreds of spectators watched the ceremony, along with members of the Jordanian royal family.

After presenting the sword of honour to Angus MacGillivray, the Duke paid tribute to the officers marching skills, adding: “It is only by the grace of god that this parade did not take place in a blizzard.”

ROYAL INSPECTION: The Duke of Edinburgh was at Sandhurst

An emergency exercise at ICI’s research station at Jealotts Hill, near Bracknell, emergency services practised their rescue techniques in the event of a nuclear accident.

Although the level of radiation used at the site was about the same as was emitted by a ‘glow in the dark’ wristwatch, the scene was being treated as a real-life emergency.

Six fire tenders, a chemical incident unit and two ambulances helped ‘extinguish’ the blaze and removed the numerous ‘casualties’ wearing specially designed chemical resistant suits.

SAFETY FIRST: ICI’s Jealott’s Hill trained for an emergency

ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Busy Lexicon town centre as shops reopen

“Bam Bam” the Iguana, helped the owners of an Easthampstead veterinary surgery, Kynock and Logan, celebrate the opening of their refurbished facilities.

Exotic pets were more common with customers in the 1980’s. all following the fashion of strange pet companions.

IGGY POP: Exotic animals were being treated as the norm