The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
November 15, 1996
A look back at this day in Peterborough’s history from the Telegraph archives
There was a sad story on the front of the ET on Friday, November 15. It told of the tragic death f auxiliary nurse Domenica arro who had worked at Peerborough Maternity Unit for 7 years helping and carin g for 0,000 Peterborians in the rst few hours of their lives. The newspaper itself was making the news, with a reort on how the PT was the rst regional newspaper in he country to be available to
blind people in a link-up with the Talking Newspaper Associaton.
Meanwhile, the city’s Italian community was looking forward to the visit of Italy’s ambassador to Great Britain. Paolo Galli was due at The Fleet in Fletton.
His visit was organised by Peterborough Italian Community Association whose chairman was city councillor Marco Cereste.
There was bad news for gamblers with plans for a casino
The ET revealed that this year’s must-have children’s toy was a Buzz Lightyear doll.
The paper reported Peterborough’s Toys R Us store already had a waiting list of 30 parents wanting the Toy Story toy at a price of £23.87.
Shop manager Sharon Mather said: “We can’t keep pace with the demand. It is like Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles a few years back.’’ Although she wasn’t expecting a repeat of the mayhem over Power Ranger toys when parents were
in the city being scrapped after the government removed Peterborough from its list of approved gaming areas.
On the telly, BBC1was showing Keeping Up Appearances and BBC2 had Red Dwarf. On Anglia, long-running police drama The Bill headed the schedule.
There was a review of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol adapted by Derek Killeen at the Key. The reviewer’s verdict: “an excellent initiation into the festive season’’.
fighting over them in the store. Toy retail expert Gerry Masters predicted stocks of Buzz would nowhere near match demand. He predicted old favourites Action Man and Barbie would top the toyselling charts.
This despite the Co-op banning all its stores from selling Action Man dolls following the Dunblane massacre.
A spokeman said: “We have made a policy decision to stop selling toys which may be perceived to represent or incite violence.’’ and stop them playing their game we can get a result.’’
I assume that was tongue in cheek! Also in cup action were Wisbech who were hoping to make the 2nd Round for the first time in 40 years. The Fenman had former Posh favourite Jackie Gallagher in their ranks (above left) but he was battling injury and his chances were only rated 50-50.
Football crazy kids (pictured) took advantage of free coaching from city sponsors RWT at Campbell Drive.
Therewasanadvertisement feature on shops and businesses based at the Bretton Centre. The Cresset was “for the first time in its 18-year history presenting a Christmas musical in the form of The Wizard Of Oz’’. Sophie Lawrence of EastEnders’ fame was the star.
Also advertising was Sprogs children’s store. Does anybody remember it?
Other advertisers were Katy Williams Kollectables, Sandra’s Haberdashery and Wool and Formative Fun. Peterborough High School pupils were in rehearsal for a production of The Sound Of Music. Heather Knight (15) was taking the lead role of the headstrong Maria, while 17-year-old Abigail Favill was playing Captain von Trapp.
Queensgate is currently undergoing a multi-million pound revamp which will include a multi screen cinema but back in 1996 the ET reported the shopping centre had won approval for a £4million extension.
Work was due to start the following year and would create “four or five new stores along the centre’s main shopping mall above the bus station.
The city council’s planning committee backed the plans but recommended a legal agreement to address three issues. One of those was “a financial contribution towards the installation of an elevator to the eastern end of the footbridge across Bourges Boulevard.’’