NOSTALGIA: Keith Chegwin brings Swap Shop to Boston in 1978 and returns for Big Breakfast in 1993 (GALLERY)

This week (October 24 edition) in 1978 ...
Keith Chegwin in Boston for the Big Breakfast in 1993, 15 years (almost to the day) after he was in the town with Swap Shop.Keith Chegwin in Boston for the Big Breakfast in 1993, 15 years (almost to the day) after he was in the town with Swap Shop.
Keith Chegwin in Boston for the Big Breakfast in 1993, 15 years (almost to the day) after he was in the town with Swap Shop.

* The Multi-Coloured Swap Shop and co-presenter Keith Chegwin came to Boston.

Hundreds of youngsters descended on Carlton Road to see ‘Cheggers’ film for the popular BBC show.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Viewing the scene from a distant vantage point Keith Chegwin could easily have been a 20th century pied pier as he moved from place to place to shoot various scenes, followed by crowds of youngsters,” The Standard wrote.

Keigh Chegwin in Boston with Swap Shop in October 1978.Keigh Chegwin in Boston with Swap Shop in October 1978.
Keigh Chegwin in Boston with Swap Shop in October 1978.

Keith swapped games and toys between local children and also interviewed members of the Boston Divers and Boston Rowing Club.

* Box office records were tumbling at Boston’s Classic Cinema following the release of the musical Grease.

On the Tuesday of that week, admissions hit a new one-day high of 2,176, with queues stretching from the cinema in South Square to Boots in the Market Place.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The previous record since the venue went over to part-time bingo had been held by the 1970 film Soldier Blue.

A cheque for £20,000 from Lincolnshire County Council being presented to the Boston Adventure Playground scheme at Boston Carlton Road County Primary School this week in 1993.A cheque for £20,000 from Lincolnshire County Council being presented to the Boston Adventure Playground scheme at Boston Carlton Road County Primary School this week in 1993.
A cheque for £20,000 from Lincolnshire County Council being presented to the Boston Adventure Playground scheme at Boston Carlton Road County Primary School this week in 1993.

The last performance of that Tuesday saw 20 people take up the offer of sitting in chairs at bingo tables after the venue ran out of seats.

On the Sunday, one show netted 1,133 admissions – a record for a single screening.

This week in 1993 ...

The Big Breakfast and co-presenter Keith Chegwin came to Boston.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The zany Channel 4 show included three live segments of Down Your Doorstep from Windsor Crescent.

Cheggers presided over the mayhem as he surprised residents by involving them in a banana boat obstacle race.

Fifteen members of the CS Big Band provided the music.

Two other locals in on proceedings were Wyberton Theatrical members Toby Grimshaw, 27, and Ben Reid, 18, who dressed up as banana boats to add to the fun.

* A new music store was opening in Boston.

Indigo Music was based off the Market Place, in what is today Maude’s the Jewellers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Customers were promised a large selection of jazz, blues, folk, classical, and easy listening, plus chart hits, indie, dance and rave music.

* Plans had been unveiled to install surveillance cameras in Boston in a bid to cut town centre crime.

The proposed sites for the nine cameras were announced at a meeting of the Town Centre Management Panel.

Members heard that a similar experiment in Newcastle had resulted in a 30 per cent drop in city centre crime.

Related topics: