FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK 27 MAY - 2 JUNE 1974
This week's many stories include the concerns of three St Helens churchmen over the screening of The Exorcist, the opening of the new St Helens law courts, Crank residents are up in arms over proposals to build houses in Red Cat Lane, the manager of a TV shop is robbed in the street and St Helens Council decides to continue its fight against Leathers.
We begin with the announcement that Eric Ashton had been appointed as Saints new coach in succession to Jim Challinor. Ashton had not applied for the job but after parting company with Leeds last week he had been approached by Saints and accepted the offer of a two-year contract.
On the 29th Justice Bernard Caulfield opened the new St Helens law courts in Corporation Street. The complex had cost £270,000 and as well as two magistrates courts, there was also a county court and a juvenile court, along with a committee room that could be used as an additional juvenile court if needed. But demonstrators protesting against Leathers Chemicals attempted to hijack the proceedings.
They heckled speakers and fired questions about the sulphuric acid plant at the mayor. But he and the other dignitaries remained silent on the subject. The protest had been organised by the East Sutton Residents Association and its chairman Jim Atherton said: "We want to identify with Mr. Caulfield as he is a former villager of Sutton." But the St Helens-born judge diplomatically said he could not comment on the incident but was happy to see the demonstrators exercising their right to freedom of speech.
The protesters had been motivated by a council meeting that was set to take place later that day. On the agenda was the recent setback when Leathers had won their appeal against two enforcement notices, which would have allowed the council to prosecute them over incidents of acid fallout. A decision had to be taken at the meeting whether they should in effect appeal against the appeal.
The protesters were keen for that to happen but the council needed to consider the cost of doing so and its likelihood of success. In the end they decided on further court action and the councillors also hinted that the plant could eventually be closed down. However, if that decision were ever taken the local authority would have to pay a huge sum in compensation to the controversial chemicals company.
On the 30th the Liverpool Echo described how 900 council houses on estates in Eccleston and Windlehurst were to be given a new lease of life. About £4,000 (around £60,000 in today's money) was to be spent on each home and a week-long exhibition at Ruskin Drive would allow tenants to ask questions.
The improvements included the installation of central heating systems, fitted kitchens, electrical rewiring and redecoration. While the improvements were being carried out most of the tenants would be temporarily transferred to new houses in Beth Avenue in Sutton and at Peasley Cross. The Windlehurst estate had been the council's first, which had been built in the early 1920s.
The Reporter on the 31st described how the three members of the Wedge family from Gladstone Street had exactly the same birthday – defying odds of 150,000 to 1. Two days before the paper was published, Trevor and Eva Wedge had both celebrated their 21st birthday and their son Gavin had also marked his 2nd.
The Reporter also described how a public inquiry would be held next week into proposals for 14 houses to be built in Red Cat Lane in Crank. Rainford Council had prior to local government reorganisation rejected the plans of builder Fred Halliwell who was now appealing their decision. Local people were worried that once a builder got a foothold on agricultural land, the floodgates might open and hundreds of houses be built.
Jane Gillies of Crank Hill Road said: "We want Crank to stay as it is" and Geoff Heyes claimed that builders had in the past made no attempt to blend new homes in with their surroundings, adding: "The houses stick out like a sore thumb." The developer Fred Halliwell from Skelmersdale told the Reporter that he would be prepared to meet the protesters to address their concerns. However, the language he employed could have been a bit more tactful, as he said: "I would like to see who's opposing me, then have a crack at them."
The paper described how three church ministers would be visiting the ABC Savoy cinema next week to give their verdicts on the controversial film The Exorcist. The churchmen were the Rev. Paul Conder who was the Vicar of Sutton, Baptist minister Roy Turvey and Methodist Roy Shimmin. The latter said: "I believe that in other towns the council have set up their own censorship board. I'm surprised that St. Helens haven't got one to prevent any undesirable pictures being shown.
"From what I have heard it [The Exorcist] seems to deprave some people. I feel it is my responsibility to express my views on the film. If I think it should not be shown I will go to the police and the Magistrates Clerk to try and ban it. But on the other hand, if I see no wrong in the film, I will probably praise it. If there is a message in the film that I believe in then I won't condemn it."
And Rev Conder told the Reporter: "This film seems to have had evil effects, causing mental and psychological pain and suffering. It has been made solely for the exploitation of people's money, not to satisfy curiosity. It is dealing with realities, which when delved into can bring about a great deal of harm." John Clayton was the manager of the Savoy and he told the Reporter that he was pleased to be able to allow the three ministers to see The Exorcist free of charge.
Let's hope the trio lasted longer than the Dean of St Helens did at the Capitol in 1971. The Very Rev. Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick had then been among a small group invited to preview the German sex education film 'Female Sexuality'. However, when a naked couple appeared on screen embracing and simulating the sex act, he tipped up his seat and left. "It was revolting", the Dean declared. "I'd had enough after 10 minutes."
Colin Leather described in the Reporter how he had been attacked while walking to a bank in Church Street to deposit his day's takings. He was the manager of Loyds TV Electrical Appliances of Ormskirk Street and had £500 in a bag that was suddenly snatched from him.
Mr Leather chased the thief and caught him in a car park where he retrieved the bag but fell to the ground and was kicked by the robber and an accomplice. The 28-year-old was critical of bystanders who did not intervene to help him, saying: "This happened in the middle of St. Helens with everybody standing by and not one gave any assistance."
The Reporter also told how Lord Derby had opened Rainford Guides' new headquarters in Church Road. The 100-strong guides and brownies group had been formed in 1966 but not having their own home had met instead in church halls. For the last eight years the girls had been fundraising to have their own HQ built.
Lord Derby had offered them two sites but it was felt that both were too far away from the centre of the village. However, Rainford Council had provided a suitable site and the local Round Table had laid the foundations which had saved the guides £2,000. The girls had raised £2,500 from jumble sales, fashion shows etc., with the rest of the cost of the new hall funded from a County Council grant.
The manager of Carr Mill Service Station told the Reporter that he was upset about the resurfacing work that was taking place on the East Lancs Road. It meant that Michael O’Hara's business was virtually being shut down for five days, as traffic was being diverted away from his petrol pumps onto the other side of the road. On the work's first day earlier this week only two customers had managed to wend their way to his Esso station.
Although Mr O’Hara had been made aware of the resurfacing work a year ago he did not know when it would begin. He said he had requested a meeting with the Borough Engineer's Department to discuss when the work would start and how it could be done with the least disruption to his business – but one had never happened. The Reporter had made enquiries to see whether compensation for lost business might be available for Mr O’Hara but concluded that it was very unlikely.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the demonstration outside Leathers chemicals factory, homeowners in Blackbrook accuse their estate's developers of breaking their word and elderly people in St Helens are to have door safety chains installed.
We begin with the announcement that Eric Ashton had been appointed as Saints new coach in succession to Jim Challinor. Ashton had not applied for the job but after parting company with Leeds last week he had been approached by Saints and accepted the offer of a two-year contract.
On the 29th Justice Bernard Caulfield opened the new St Helens law courts in Corporation Street. The complex had cost £270,000 and as well as two magistrates courts, there was also a county court and a juvenile court, along with a committee room that could be used as an additional juvenile court if needed. But demonstrators protesting against Leathers Chemicals attempted to hijack the proceedings.
They heckled speakers and fired questions about the sulphuric acid plant at the mayor. But he and the other dignitaries remained silent on the subject. The protest had been organised by the East Sutton Residents Association and its chairman Jim Atherton said: "We want to identify with Mr. Caulfield as he is a former villager of Sutton." But the St Helens-born judge diplomatically said he could not comment on the incident but was happy to see the demonstrators exercising their right to freedom of speech.
The protesters had been motivated by a council meeting that was set to take place later that day. On the agenda was the recent setback when Leathers had won their appeal against two enforcement notices, which would have allowed the council to prosecute them over incidents of acid fallout. A decision had to be taken at the meeting whether they should in effect appeal against the appeal.
The protesters were keen for that to happen but the council needed to consider the cost of doing so and its likelihood of success. In the end they decided on further court action and the councillors also hinted that the plant could eventually be closed down. However, if that decision were ever taken the local authority would have to pay a huge sum in compensation to the controversial chemicals company.
On the 30th the Liverpool Echo described how 900 council houses on estates in Eccleston and Windlehurst were to be given a new lease of life. About £4,000 (around £60,000 in today's money) was to be spent on each home and a week-long exhibition at Ruskin Drive would allow tenants to ask questions.
The improvements included the installation of central heating systems, fitted kitchens, electrical rewiring and redecoration. While the improvements were being carried out most of the tenants would be temporarily transferred to new houses in Beth Avenue in Sutton and at Peasley Cross. The Windlehurst estate had been the council's first, which had been built in the early 1920s.
The Reporter on the 31st described how the three members of the Wedge family from Gladstone Street had exactly the same birthday – defying odds of 150,000 to 1. Two days before the paper was published, Trevor and Eva Wedge had both celebrated their 21st birthday and their son Gavin had also marked his 2nd.
The Reporter also described how a public inquiry would be held next week into proposals for 14 houses to be built in Red Cat Lane in Crank. Rainford Council had prior to local government reorganisation rejected the plans of builder Fred Halliwell who was now appealing their decision. Local people were worried that once a builder got a foothold on agricultural land, the floodgates might open and hundreds of houses be built.
Jane Gillies of Crank Hill Road said: "We want Crank to stay as it is" and Geoff Heyes claimed that builders had in the past made no attempt to blend new homes in with their surroundings, adding: "The houses stick out like a sore thumb." The developer Fred Halliwell from Skelmersdale told the Reporter that he would be prepared to meet the protesters to address their concerns. However, the language he employed could have been a bit more tactful, as he said: "I would like to see who's opposing me, then have a crack at them."
"From what I have heard it [The Exorcist] seems to deprave some people. I feel it is my responsibility to express my views on the film. If I think it should not be shown I will go to the police and the Magistrates Clerk to try and ban it. But on the other hand, if I see no wrong in the film, I will probably praise it. If there is a message in the film that I believe in then I won't condemn it."
And Rev Conder told the Reporter: "This film seems to have had evil effects, causing mental and psychological pain and suffering. It has been made solely for the exploitation of people's money, not to satisfy curiosity. It is dealing with realities, which when delved into can bring about a great deal of harm." John Clayton was the manager of the Savoy and he told the Reporter that he was pleased to be able to allow the three ministers to see The Exorcist free of charge.
Let's hope the trio lasted longer than the Dean of St Helens did at the Capitol in 1971. The Very Rev. Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick had then been among a small group invited to preview the German sex education film 'Female Sexuality'. However, when a naked couple appeared on screen embracing and simulating the sex act, he tipped up his seat and left. "It was revolting", the Dean declared. "I'd had enough after 10 minutes."
Colin Leather described in the Reporter how he had been attacked while walking to a bank in Church Street to deposit his day's takings. He was the manager of Loyds TV Electrical Appliances of Ormskirk Street and had £500 in a bag that was suddenly snatched from him.
Mr Leather chased the thief and caught him in a car park where he retrieved the bag but fell to the ground and was kicked by the robber and an accomplice. The 28-year-old was critical of bystanders who did not intervene to help him, saying: "This happened in the middle of St. Helens with everybody standing by and not one gave any assistance."
The Reporter also told how Lord Derby had opened Rainford Guides' new headquarters in Church Road. The 100-strong guides and brownies group had been formed in 1966 but not having their own home had met instead in church halls. For the last eight years the girls had been fundraising to have their own HQ built.
Lord Derby had offered them two sites but it was felt that both were too far away from the centre of the village. However, Rainford Council had provided a suitable site and the local Round Table had laid the foundations which had saved the guides £2,000. The girls had raised £2,500 from jumble sales, fashion shows etc., with the rest of the cost of the new hall funded from a County Council grant.
The manager of Carr Mill Service Station told the Reporter that he was upset about the resurfacing work that was taking place on the East Lancs Road. It meant that Michael O’Hara's business was virtually being shut down for five days, as traffic was being diverted away from his petrol pumps onto the other side of the road. On the work's first day earlier this week only two customers had managed to wend their way to his Esso station.
Although Mr O’Hara had been made aware of the resurfacing work a year ago he did not know when it would begin. He said he had requested a meeting with the Borough Engineer's Department to discuss when the work would start and how it could be done with the least disruption to his business – but one had never happened. The Reporter had made enquiries to see whether compensation for lost business might be available for Mr O’Hara but concluded that it was very unlikely.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the demonstration outside Leathers chemicals factory, homeowners in Blackbrook accuse their estate's developers of breaking their word and elderly people in St Helens are to have door safety chains installed.
This week's many stories include the concerns of three St Helens churchmen over the screening of The Exorcist, the opening of the new St Helens law courts, Crank residents are up in arms over proposals to build houses in Red Cat Lane, the manager of a TV shop is robbed in the street and St Helens Council decides to continue its fight against Leathers.
We begin with the announcement that Eric Ashton had been appointed as Saints new coach in succession to Jim Challinor.
Ashton had not applied for the job but after parting company with Leeds last week he had been approached by Saints and accepted the offer of a two-year contract.
On the 29th Justice Bernard Caulfield opened the new St Helens law courts in Corporation Street.
The complex had cost £270,000 and as well as two magistrates courts, there was also a county court and a juvenile court, along with a committee room that could be used as an additional juvenile court if needed.
But demonstrators protesting against Leathers Chemicals attempted to hijack the proceedings.
They heckled speakers and fired questions about the sulphuric acid plant at the mayor. But he and the other dignitaries remained silent on the subject.
The protest had been organised by the East Sutton Residents Association and its chairman Jim Atherton said: "We want to identify with Mr. Caulfield as he is a former villager of Sutton."
But the St Helens-born judge diplomatically said he could not comment on the incident but was happy to see the demonstrators exercising their right to freedom of speech.
The protesters had been motivated by a council meeting that was set to take place later that day.
On the agenda was the recent setback when Leathers had won their appeal against two enforcement notices, which would have allowed the council to prosecute them over incidents of acid fallout.
A decision had to be taken at the meeting whether they should in effect appeal against the appeal.
The protesters were keen for that to happen but the council needed to consider the cost of doing so and its likelihood of success.
In the end they decided on further court action and the councillors also hinted that the plant could eventually be closed down.
However, if that decision were ever taken the local authority would have to pay a huge sum in compensation to the controversial chemicals company.
On the 30th the Liverpool Echo described how 900 council houses on estates in Eccleston and Windlehurst were to be given a new lease of life.
About £4,000 (around £60,000 in today's money) was to be spent on each home and a week-long exhibition at Ruskin Drive would allow tenants to ask questions.
The improvements included the installation of central heating systems, fitted kitchens, electrical rewiring and redecoration.
While the improvements were being carried out most of the tenants would be temporarily transferred to new houses in Beth Avenue in Sutton and at Peasley Cross.
The Reporter on the 31st described how the three members of the Wedge family from Gladstone Street had exactly the same birthday – defying odds of 150,000 to 1.
Two days before the paper was published, Trevor and Eva Wedge had both celebrated their 21st birthday and their son Gavin had also marked his 2nd.
The Reporter also described how a public inquiry would be held next week into proposals for 14 houses to be built in Red Cat Lane in Crank.
Rainford Council had prior to local government reorganisation rejected the plans of builder Fred Halliwell who was now appealing their decision.
Local people were worried that once a builder got a foothold on agricultural land, the floodgates might open and hundreds of houses be built.
Jane Gillies of Crank Hill Road said: "We want Crank to stay as it is" and Geoff Heyes claimed that builders had in the past made no attempt to blend new homes in with their surroundings, adding: "The houses stick out like a sore thumb."
The developer Fred Halliwell from Skelmersdale told the Reporter that he would be prepared to meet the protesters to address their concerns.
However, the language he employed could have been a bit more tactful, as he said: "I would like to see who's opposing me, then have a crack at them."
The paper described how three church ministers would be visiting the ABC Savoy cinema next week to give their verdicts on the controversial film The Exorcist.
The churchmen were the Rev. Paul Conder who was the Vicar of Sutton, Baptist minister Roy Turvey and Methodist Roy Shimmin.
The latter said: "I believe that in other towns the council have set up their own censorship board. I'm surprised that St. Helens haven't got one to prevent any undesirable pictures being shown.
"From what I have heard it [The Exorcist] seems to deprave some people. I feel it is my responsibility to express my views on the film. If I think it should not be shown I will go to the police and the Magistrates Clerk to try and ban it.
"But on the other hand, if I see no wrong in the film, I will probably praise it. If there is a message in the film that I believe in then I won't condemn it."
And Rev Conder told the Reporter: "This film seems to have had evil effects, causing mental and psychological pain and suffering.
"It has been made solely for the exploitation of people's money, not to satisfy curiosity. It is dealing with realities, which when delved into can bring about a great deal of harm."
John Clayton was the manager of the Savoy and he told the Reporter that he was pleased to be able to allow the three ministers to see The Exorcist free of charge.
Let's hope the trio lasted longer than the Dean of St Helens did at the Capitol in 1971. The Very Rev. Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick had then been among a small group invited to preview the German sex education film 'Female Sexuality'.
However, when a naked couple appeared on screen embracing and simulating the sex act, he tipped up his seat and left. "It was revolting", the Dean declared. "I'd had enough after 10 minutes."
Colin Leather described in the Reporter how he had been attacked while walking to a bank in Church Street to deposit his day's takings.
He was the manager of Loyds TV Electrical Appliances of Ormskirk Street and had £500 in a bag that was suddenly snatched from him.
Mr Leather chased the thief and caught him in a car park where he retrieved the bag but fell to the ground and was kicked by the robber and an accomplice.
The 28-year-old was critical of bystanders who did not intervene to help him, saying:
"This happened in the middle of St. Helens with everybody standing by and not one gave any assistance."
The Reporter also told how Lord Derby had opened Rainford Guides' new headquarters in Church Road.
The 100-strong guides and brownies group had been formed in 1966 but not having their own home had met instead in church halls.
For the last eight years the girls had been fundraising to have their own HQ built.
Lord Derby had offered them two sites but it was felt that both were too far away from the centre of the village.
However, Rainford Council had provided a suitable site and the local Round Table had laid the foundations which had saved the guides £2,000.
The girls had raised £2,500 from jumble sales, fashion shows etc., with the rest of the cost of the new hall funded from a County Council grant.
The manager of Carr Mill Service Station told the Reporter that he was upset about the resurfacing work that was taking place on the East Lancs Road.
It meant that Michael O’Hara's business was virtually being shut down for five days, as traffic was being diverted away from his petrol pumps onto the other side of the road.
On the work's first day earlier this week only two customers had managed to wend their way to his Esso station.
Although Mr O’Hara had been made aware of the resurfacing work a year ago he did not know when it would begin.
He said he had requested a meeting with the Borough Engineer's Department to discuss when the work would start and how it could be done with the least disruption to his business – but one had never happened.
The Reporter had made enquiries to see whether compensation for lost business might be available for Mr O’Hara but concluded that it was very unlikely.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the demonstration outside Leathers chemicals factory, homeowners in Blackbrook accuse their estate's developers of breaking their word and elderly people in St Helens are to have door safety chains installed.
We begin with the announcement that Eric Ashton had been appointed as Saints new coach in succession to Jim Challinor.
Ashton had not applied for the job but after parting company with Leeds last week he had been approached by Saints and accepted the offer of a two-year contract.
On the 29th Justice Bernard Caulfield opened the new St Helens law courts in Corporation Street.
The complex had cost £270,000 and as well as two magistrates courts, there was also a county court and a juvenile court, along with a committee room that could be used as an additional juvenile court if needed.
But demonstrators protesting against Leathers Chemicals attempted to hijack the proceedings.
They heckled speakers and fired questions about the sulphuric acid plant at the mayor. But he and the other dignitaries remained silent on the subject.
The protest had been organised by the East Sutton Residents Association and its chairman Jim Atherton said: "We want to identify with Mr. Caulfield as he is a former villager of Sutton."
But the St Helens-born judge diplomatically said he could not comment on the incident but was happy to see the demonstrators exercising their right to freedom of speech.
The protesters had been motivated by a council meeting that was set to take place later that day.
On the agenda was the recent setback when Leathers had won their appeal against two enforcement notices, which would have allowed the council to prosecute them over incidents of acid fallout.
A decision had to be taken at the meeting whether they should in effect appeal against the appeal.
The protesters were keen for that to happen but the council needed to consider the cost of doing so and its likelihood of success.
In the end they decided on further court action and the councillors also hinted that the plant could eventually be closed down.
However, if that decision were ever taken the local authority would have to pay a huge sum in compensation to the controversial chemicals company.
On the 30th the Liverpool Echo described how 900 council houses on estates in Eccleston and Windlehurst were to be given a new lease of life.
About £4,000 (around £60,000 in today's money) was to be spent on each home and a week-long exhibition at Ruskin Drive would allow tenants to ask questions.
The improvements included the installation of central heating systems, fitted kitchens, electrical rewiring and redecoration.
While the improvements were being carried out most of the tenants would be temporarily transferred to new houses in Beth Avenue in Sutton and at Peasley Cross.
The Reporter on the 31st described how the three members of the Wedge family from Gladstone Street had exactly the same birthday – defying odds of 150,000 to 1.
Two days before the paper was published, Trevor and Eva Wedge had both celebrated their 21st birthday and their son Gavin had also marked his 2nd.
The Reporter also described how a public inquiry would be held next week into proposals for 14 houses to be built in Red Cat Lane in Crank.
Rainford Council had prior to local government reorganisation rejected the plans of builder Fred Halliwell who was now appealing their decision.
Local people were worried that once a builder got a foothold on agricultural land, the floodgates might open and hundreds of houses be built.
Jane Gillies of Crank Hill Road said: "We want Crank to stay as it is" and Geoff Heyes claimed that builders had in the past made no attempt to blend new homes in with their surroundings, adding: "The houses stick out like a sore thumb."
The developer Fred Halliwell from Skelmersdale told the Reporter that he would be prepared to meet the protesters to address their concerns.
However, the language he employed could have been a bit more tactful, as he said: "I would like to see who's opposing me, then have a crack at them."
The churchmen were the Rev. Paul Conder who was the Vicar of Sutton, Baptist minister Roy Turvey and Methodist Roy Shimmin.
The latter said: "I believe that in other towns the council have set up their own censorship board. I'm surprised that St. Helens haven't got one to prevent any undesirable pictures being shown.
"From what I have heard it [The Exorcist] seems to deprave some people. I feel it is my responsibility to express my views on the film. If I think it should not be shown I will go to the police and the Magistrates Clerk to try and ban it.
"But on the other hand, if I see no wrong in the film, I will probably praise it. If there is a message in the film that I believe in then I won't condemn it."
And Rev Conder told the Reporter: "This film seems to have had evil effects, causing mental and psychological pain and suffering.
"It has been made solely for the exploitation of people's money, not to satisfy curiosity. It is dealing with realities, which when delved into can bring about a great deal of harm."
John Clayton was the manager of the Savoy and he told the Reporter that he was pleased to be able to allow the three ministers to see The Exorcist free of charge.
Let's hope the trio lasted longer than the Dean of St Helens did at the Capitol in 1971. The Very Rev. Canon Hugh Fitzpatrick had then been among a small group invited to preview the German sex education film 'Female Sexuality'.
However, when a naked couple appeared on screen embracing and simulating the sex act, he tipped up his seat and left. "It was revolting", the Dean declared. "I'd had enough after 10 minutes."
Colin Leather described in the Reporter how he had been attacked while walking to a bank in Church Street to deposit his day's takings.
He was the manager of Loyds TV Electrical Appliances of Ormskirk Street and had £500 in a bag that was suddenly snatched from him.
Mr Leather chased the thief and caught him in a car park where he retrieved the bag but fell to the ground and was kicked by the robber and an accomplice.
The 28-year-old was critical of bystanders who did not intervene to help him, saying:
"This happened in the middle of St. Helens with everybody standing by and not one gave any assistance."
The Reporter also told how Lord Derby had opened Rainford Guides' new headquarters in Church Road.
The 100-strong guides and brownies group had been formed in 1966 but not having their own home had met instead in church halls.
For the last eight years the girls had been fundraising to have their own HQ built.
Lord Derby had offered them two sites but it was felt that both were too far away from the centre of the village.
However, Rainford Council had provided a suitable site and the local Round Table had laid the foundations which had saved the guides £2,000.
The girls had raised £2,500 from jumble sales, fashion shows etc., with the rest of the cost of the new hall funded from a County Council grant.
The manager of Carr Mill Service Station told the Reporter that he was upset about the resurfacing work that was taking place on the East Lancs Road.
It meant that Michael O’Hara's business was virtually being shut down for five days, as traffic was being diverted away from his petrol pumps onto the other side of the road.
On the work's first day earlier this week only two customers had managed to wend their way to his Esso station.
Although Mr O’Hara had been made aware of the resurfacing work a year ago he did not know when it would begin.
He said he had requested a meeting with the Borough Engineer's Department to discuss when the work would start and how it could be done with the least disruption to his business – but one had never happened.
The Reporter had made enquiries to see whether compensation for lost business might be available for Mr O’Hara but concluded that it was very unlikely.
St Helens Reporter courtesy St Helens Archive Service at Eccleston Library
Next Week's stories will include the demonstration outside Leathers chemicals factory, homeowners in Blackbrook accuse their estate's developers of breaking their word and elderly people in St Helens are to have door safety chains installed.