7 November to 14 November, 2011 (From Worcester News)

7 November to 14 November, 2011

2:52pm Wednesday 9th November 2011 in This week in... By Michael Grundy

THIS WEEK IN 1991:
POLICE swooped to make 27 arrests at an “acid house”

disco at Smite near Worcester at the weekend. The city police say large quantities of drugs were seized, a security guard was left hospitalised and a lorry was damaged at the disco which took place in a large marquee in a field during late Friday evening and early Saturday morning.

The crowd at the event was estimated at 4,500 and there were 50 police officers in attendance. Of the arrests, three were for alleged possession of drugs and a large quantity of suspect substances are now being analysed at police laboratories. However, a police spokesman said that overall they were pleased with the way the crowd behaved.

THIS WEEK IN 1981:
BRITISH Rail is shelving the £2 million Worcester Parkway station project, stating that there is little prospect of its “getting off the ground in the foreseeable future.” The project for a site near Norton on the main line national network has been planned for more than five years and was intended to produce a major rail-and-drive service for Worcester and the surrounding area. But a local rail union official warns that British Rail’s decision could signal a rapid decline in rail services to and from Worcester. Les Portman, secretary of the Worcestershire branch of the National Union of Railwaymen, slammed BR over its shelving of the project. He said: “BR has used it as a red herring while decimating services to Shrub Hill. It has been nothing but a confidence trick from the very beginning.”

THIS WEEK IN 1971:
THE badly weather beaten row of five statues along the roof line of Worcester Guildhall is to get a much needed brush-up and facelift. But it is a job for expert stonemasons and will cost £4,489. In view of the importance of the Queen Anne building, however, the nation’s Ancient Monuments Department at Whitehall is to make a 25 per cent grant towards the expenditure.
THIS WEEK IN 1961:
IN the nation’s Civic Trust Design competition for the past year, two Worcester schemes have been highly praised. The new crematorium at Astwood has been given a Civic Trust award while the Sidbury Bridge reconstruction scheme has been singled out for commendation.

In both cases, the architect named by the Civic Trust is John Williams, the city engineer. Of the new crematorium, the Civic Trust awards panel says: “The scheme is a most attractive one and has undoubtedly been designed with great feeling and skill.

It sits into the landscape very pleasingly.”

Of the Sidbury Bridge reconstruction, the Civic Trust says: “This project is a particularly happy one in that it provides for the clearing away of a serious bottleneck in the busy thoroughfare in the centre of the city. Not only does the scheme provide a new bridge over the canal but also a wide promenade.”