Looking Back: What locals called the 'Martial Arts Centre'!
I snapped this picture on Peterborough’s Town Bridge in the early 1980s of a council road sweeper checking out the display of the Marital Aids Centre
It was, I recall, euphemistically known by locals as The Martial Arts Centre!
It was here strongman legend Walter Cornelius famously attempted to fly across the River Nene – but belly flopped and broke his nose.
At the rear was the power station and next door was a Greek Tavern, while nearby was Frank Brierley / Hillards, Papa Luigi and later Viva La Rock.
Unfortunately the five year old sink hole and eye sore seen in my 2025 image has still not been fixed although it has recently been reported that may be about to change.
You can buy Chris’s Reunion books from www.chrisporsz.com and help his breast cancer research fundraising.