Andy Mitchell from Radio Wave

There’s some number crunching going on this week as we look at anniversaries coming up this year. Now I’ve always been one for marking significant milestones...Mrs M would no doubt question my inability to at least name the date of our own anniversary.

I seem to remember it happened on Bispham Gala Day, and so that’s the day I’ve always remembered ever since, conveniently forgetting that the third Saturday in July is something of a moveable feast date wise, but at least I show an interest.

1994, you may remember, was quite a significant year for Blackpool. ‘Two Tall Stories’ was the campaign to get us excited about plans to build the new Big One Roller Coaster at the Pleasure Beach, and, of course, the centenary of the Tower. It necessarily follows then that a quarter of a century later, there are important milestones to mark.

The Big One has dominated the sky at South Shore now for 25 years this May. It actually shares its anniversary with the death of the former Labour Leader John Smith who, as I remember, may have upstaged the coverage of the press launch on that morning.

The Queen came to town. Radio Wave’s Neil Sexton’s commentary from the top of a tram opposite the Tower “and her Majesty turns right and heads towards Pricebusters” never to be forgotten.

The Tower celebrates its 125th this year, as indeed does our lovely Grand Theatre.

Further along the coast, Rossall School is marking its 175th this year with a ball and the opening of its magnificent new sports centre, surely the biggest public indoor space now in Fleetwood?

Some may be marking 40 years since Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister, others may not.

It’s 50 years this summer since man landed on the moon, and Montgomery High School will no doubt mark 60 years since the great Field Marshall of Alamein came to open their new school at Bispham.

It’s a sobering thought that it’s now 20 years since we were getting all anxious about something called the “Millennium Bug”, and, of course, 20 years since we gathered on the Prom to see out the old century.

So there’s so much to mark this year. Can someone tell me what date Bispham Gala is?