Remember When: Late-night Christmas shopping arrived in Maidenhead

1974: The effects of the strike of bakery workers hit hard at private bakeries and supermarkets in the town centre.

Long queues formed outside the bakeries by 8am, and an hour later the shelves were empty.

1974: Actor Simon Williams, who played Major James Bellamy in Upstairs Downstairs, signed autographs as he visited men’s outfitters John Goodwin in Maidenhead High Street.

Williams was there to promote clothes and toiletries.

1979: Maidenhead town centre was dressed up ready for the mayor to turn on the Christmas lights.

The Chamber of Commerce set up eight overhead garlands in both High Street and Queen Street, along with four Christmas trees around the town centre.

1984: High Street shops in Maidenhead stayed open until the late evening for the first time to help Christmas shoppers.

With just a couple of weeks left until Christmas, the extra three hours that allowed the public to browse and buy unhurried were greeted with enthusiasm.

1984: Hard training and application paid dividends for Desborough School when their first-year squad won the Berkshire Schools under 13 cross country championships at Easthampstead Park.

A fine performance enabled Desborough to outstrip their nearest rivals by a clear 28 points in the team event.

1994: The Maidenhead offices of construction firm Costain was besieged by protesters opposed to plans for the Newbury bypass.

About 30 banner-wielding demonstrators lined the front of the offices in Nicholsons Walk in an attempt to stop the company bidding for the controversial £66million project, which opponents claimed would devastate the environment.

1994: Ceri Evans became the latest in a growing list of Marlow FC heroes as the Blues followed up their sensational win against Oxford United with a thrilling victory against Woking to reach the third round of the FA Cup.

Evans – a former New Zealand international and qualified doctor – scored a last-minute winner to set up a tie against Swindon.