Lancashire nostalgia in 1983: McDonalds is coming; hot pants row; and arrested in a flash

Here's a look at some of the stories that were making the headlines back in 1983:
You could soon be eating this fast food meal as McDonald's come to townYou could soon be eating this fast food meal as McDonald's come to town
You could soon be eating this fast food meal as McDonald's come to town

US burger men McDonald’s get a plum town centre site

A 125-seater restaurant is to be opened on a Preston shopping site.

McDonald’s, the slick US-style fast food operation, has been given planning permission by Preston development committee to go ahead with the conversion of Dunn’s outfitters.

Paul Daggers, pictured here with his wife, was sent home from his job at GEC for wearing shorts to workPaul Daggers, pictured here with his wife, was sent home from his job at GEC for wearing shorts to work
Paul Daggers, pictured here with his wife, was sent home from his job at GEC for wearing shorts to work
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The firm estimates that the town centre is busy enough to bring it 15,000 to 20,000 sales a week, and the business will create 50 new jobs for Preston.

The proposals include seating for 125 customers, and the firm has eased the worries of councillors and officials with assurances that the take-away side of the business will be subsidiary to the restaurant.

As a matter of policy, the company also undertakes regular litter patrols round the area of their premises.

Opening hours are intended to be 10am until 11pm, but a report to the committee said that inquiries in other towns where McDonald’s had been given planning permission had not shown that they created any problems.

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Some councillors were reluctant to see a traditional gents’ outfitters leaving the site to make way for a brash fast food operation, but, in planning terms, McDonald’s is considered an appropriate use for a town centre site.

Another consideration was that there were no objections from neighbouring retailers.

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Look back at a selection of pictures from 1983 here

Blazing ‘hot pants’ row flares up amid soaring temperatures

An electrician was sent home from his job at GEC’s Strand Road, Preston, factory for wearing shorts.

And he has been told not to come back until he has changed into “proper” clothes.

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Paul Daggers, 27, defied a management warning about his dress and changed into shorts when he arrived at work. He was immediately sent home and says he will not go back.

The move was the climax of three days’ of disagreement at the factory about the issue.

Workers say they were initially told as long as they wore safety shoes and smocks they were allowed to wear shorts.

But five men, including Mr Daggers, were told to wear “respectable clothes” otherwise they would be sent home.

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Mr Daggers, of Tennyson Street, Preston, said: “For me, it was a matter of principle.

“I couldn’t believe that the management would be so petty about a thing like this.

“There is a giant glass roof where we work and it is like a greenhouse so I had to put on shorts to make life bearable.

“I don’t believe people have any right to tell me how I should come dressed to work.”

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Shop steward Mr Bob Mellor said they were considering industrial action.

Management at GEC were unavailable for comment.

Intruder has a flash way of keeping cool

Overheated James Keany’s way of keeping cool got him arrested... in a flash.

He dropped his pants and wandered into a couple’s front room wearing nothing but an open shirt and a smile, a court heard.

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While householder Mr Angus Greig sat on the cheeky caller his wife Lesley ran next door and phoned the police.

Keany, 51, of Walton-le-Dale, agreed to be bound over for a year by Leyland magistrates.

He said: “It is shocking. It is not like me at all. There is nothing I can say.”