August 5th – On This Day
1996 - The long running UK TV music show “Top Of The Pops” had hit rock bottom with it’s lowest audience ever – only two and a half million viewers. In its heyday the show attracted over 17 million viewers each week.
August 4th – On This Day
2012 - The annual stinging nettle-eating competition, started in 1986, was held at The Bottle Inn pub at Marshwood near Bridport in Dorset. The current record at the event for the most amount of nettles eaten in one hour is 76ft (23m).
August 3rd – On This Day
1971 - Sanquhar Post Office in Dumfries and Galloway became a Category B Listed Building. It is recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest post office in the world and has been in continuous service since 1712.
August 2nd – On This Day
2005 - Status Quo filmed a cameo appearance in UK's Coronation Street playing themselves. Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt were set to appear in three episodes of the long-running ITV soap.
August 1st – On This Day
2017 - The reopening, after a £19 million restoration, of the Piece Hall in Halifax, one of Britain’s most outstanding Georgian buildings. Originally built in 1779 to support the trading of cloth, it has been a meeting point of Halifax’s commercial, civic and cultural life for almost 250 years.
July 31st – On This Day
1969 - The pre-decimal half penny ceased being legal tender. It had been a regular feature of British coinage since the 13th century. While the coin was no longer legal tender after this date, a commemorative issue was still produced in 1970.
July 30th – On This Day
1966 - England won the Football World Cup in London, beating West Germany 4 – 2. This was England’s first (and only) win since the tournament began in 1930. England forward Geoff Hurst became the only man to score a hat-trick in a world cup final.
July 29th – On This Day
1981 - The Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer at London's St Paul's Cathedral. The televised ceremony was watched by over 700 million viewers around the world.
July 28th – On This Day
2008 - Weston-super-Mare Grand Pier burns down for the second time in 80 years. Following the 2008 fire, which completely destroyed the pavilion, the pier was rebuilt at a cost of £39 million and reopened on 23rd October 2010.