February 1976
Isle of Wight County Press:
Feb 7th 1976: CUT-PRICE MARKET – Will the proposed hypermarket at the Ryde Airport site be good for Island traders, or will cut-price mainland concerns move in beneath the manic roof and offer deals which small business cannot match? This was the question raised at a meeting of the Business Association on Monday, “we cannot compete,” said one member.
Feb 14th 1976: PLAYING FIELDS – Estimated cost of levelling and preparing the proposed 16 acres of land at Haylands farm to provide more playing field space for schools in the south Ryde area, would be about £70,000, said Mrs. M. CHRISTY, chairman of the Education Committee. She said she could not divulge the purchase price as it was under negotiation, but added that it would be “advantageous” to the council.
Feb 14th 1976: THREE DECADES – When they present Frederick KNOTT’s suspense drama “Wait until Dark” at Easter, the Bellevue Players will have completed 30 years of amateur dramatics at Ryde Esplanade Pavilion. At regular intervals over these three decades this talented amateur company have staged 109 productions, more than 300 performances. Although the company have welcomed many newcomers, three of five founder members who took part in one or both of the first plays in 1946 still appear today. The stalwart trio, Irene WILSON-CHALON, Millie LACEY, and James WARMAN.
Feb 14th 1976: QUITE DEPRESSING – Many people in Ryde regret the demolition of the old Red Lion Hotel on the corner of High Street and Garfield Road. Unfortunately, it was not a listed building, despite the bow windows above and white stucco finish. What were the planners thinking about to ‘allow’ hideous unrelieved grey-black bricks to be used? The strategic corner site on Garfield Road, as one walks up High Street, looks like the Berlin wall, and is quite depressing.
Feb 14th 1976: THE OLD LOOK – Island thatcher, Mr. Frederick MULLINS, of Binstead, is well advanced with modernisation work that will give Thatcher’s End of Ryde that old-fashioned look. The building is better known by its old name—the Canoe Lake Café, but with the new look comes a new role, as a restaurant.
Feb 21st 1976: STRUGGLE GOES ON – Local authorities at Ryde have been trying for 18 years to secure St. Thomas’s Churchyard, situated in the centre of the town. Medina Borough Council Amenities Committee are to make renewed efforts to take over this land for use as an amenity area. The church itself has been closed for many years and a group known as the Friends of St. Thomas’s are fighting threats to demolish the building. Ryde Rowing Club suggested that they could organise a sponsored tidy-up of the churchyard, but the committee said they could not grant them permission for this.
Feb 21st 1976: LICENCE APPROVED – No objection was raised to the granting of a provisional off licence in respect of the Spar Foodliner at High Street, Ryde, at the annual licensing meeting on Friday week. It was granted after an assurance had been given that there would be daily supervision of liquor sales.
Feb 21st 1976: TALK ON THE BUS – Ryde Trefoil Guild, which has celebrated its 21st birthday with a party at Ryde Parish Church Hall, owes it origin to a conversation during a bus journey between Newport and Ryde by two of its keenest present-day members, Mrs. Kathleen PHILLIPS and Mrs. June TALBOT. Refreshments were served and they had a handsome cake with 21 candles. The evening ended with camp fire songs and “Taps.”
Feb 21st 1976: PANTOMIME – Ryde School Hall was filled recently for performances of the Junior School production, Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. Running for just over two hours, the pantomime delighted the audience with its fast-moving fun and frolics, all carried off with considerable aplomb by such a young cast, with scarcely a prompt throughout. Colourful costumes and sets added to the gaiety of the action and special mention should be made of the rocket with its flashing lights, which transported the cast to the Sultan’s palace.