Looking Back: ‘Pink Panther’ Simon is finally unmasked after 25 years
Peterborough’s street photographer Chris Porsz solves a long-standing mystery with this week’s “then and now” photos – who was the Pink Panther?
Chris said: “Simon Templer dressed as the Pink Panther to help advertise William H Brown estate agents, where he worked with colleague Paul Faircloth at the Bridge Street branch for about three years in the early 1990s.”
Simon said: “The costume attracted a lot of attention, luckily no-one could recognise me in it.
“The last 25 years feel as though they have gone by in a flash and it brought back lots of memories wearing it again,” he added.
“It didn’t feel like that long ago.”
Simon moved to a Spalding estate agents nine years ago.
He was made redundant in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic but used it as an opportunity to start his own business.
He now runs Harrison Rose in Spalding and said: “It was great that something so positive came out of such a difficult time.”
Paul has worked for William H Brown for 30 years and now operates from its Yaxley branch.
He said: “it was a publicity stunt where I carried a ‘For Sale’ board and we handed out leaflets to drum up business.
“Simon and I have been in contact a bit over the years, but we hadn’t seen each other for more than 20 years.
“It was great to catch up and exchange numbers.”
Thanks to Kay Lock, owner of Harlequin Fancy Dress in Ramsey, for providing the actual original costume.