Festive sights from decades gone by in Peterborough city centre – what do you remember?

I can see the round flowerbeds sprouting pampas grass and silver birch trees, Ernest Jones the jewellers which later moved into Queensgate, the Army and Navy stores, Mac Fisheries and Lloyds bank, now Starbucks.

It was at 8pm going by the Guildhall clock that I took the mono picture of Cathedral Square in 1980, before pedestrianisation where traffic flowed up and down Bridge Street, Cowgate and Long Causeway.

Old Peterborians may remember the wooden gates and hoardings surrounding the Queensgate building site with access to the Westgate arcade via a temporary bridge.

On the left I see Whittons The Bakers Oven, Paige fashion shop, Hepworth’s, now Pizza Express, and Barclays Bank.

The rectangular raised flowers beds with silver birch trees were formerly fountains but later filled in due to vandalism, maintenance and running costs. Similar problems occurred three decades later with new fountains which were later removed.

For PT readers looking for post-Christmas bargains, my various local photography books, including the latest, Streets of America and Barking 2! are available in the fantastic Up the Garden Bath Unity crafts and gifts shop in Queensgate.

Also from my website www.chrisporsz.com

Part proceeds from all my books go to the hospital’s breast cancer research project and the oncology day unit.