Sabrina’s star turn brought out crowds

Ashford has had its fair share of celebrity visitors over the years. From boxer Freddie Mills and footballer Bobby Moore to singer Peter Andre and former tabloid pin-up Linda Lusardi, the town has never failed to wow crowds with the many ‘A’ listed stars visiting for special events in times past.

Quite often we see the likes of Paul O’Grady, Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer in the vicinity, as they all live nearby. A few years back, I got off a bus and bumped straight into Chris Tarrant – but didn’t find time to phone a friend!

I remember working in a shop here back in the late 1990s when the cast of Darling Buds of May came in. My claim to fame is serving celebrity greats such as David Jason, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Pam Ferris. It was also at this time that Woodchurch resident Jan Francis would often stand and have a chat with me while doing her shopping.

One scary moment – I once served Neil Tenant the lead singer of the Pet Shop Boys. I was a bit shy in those days, so much so he unnerved me and as I swiped his credit card through the till in the days before the modern chip and pin machines, I snapped his already bent card (from being in his pocket as opposed to being in a wallet) in two!

He was however very nice about it.

Back in 1957, crowds gathered for a visit by glamour model Sabrina when one-time furnisher W.H. Gibbs in the High Street held a Modern Homes Exhibition in its store. She appeared in the film Blue Murder at St Trinian’s the same year and in one of her final films she replaced Jayne Mansfield in the horror film The Ice House. Now living in Hollywood, Sabrina was actually born Norma Ann Sykes born in Stockport, Cheshire.

This week’s Remember When looks back at the event at the High Street store which is now buried beneath the County Square shopping centre.

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