RETRO: Boston gets set for arrival of Wetherspoons and new B&Q store 25 years ago
A jobs boon for the town, more than 50 had been created at B&Q and about 20 at The Moon Under Water.
1. Wetherspoons
Wetherspoons was set to unveil its £700,000 pub in Boston 25 years ago. The Moon Under Water pub was due to open in High Street (in the former Der Schapps bar site) on July 7. About 20 full and part-time jobs were expected to be created as a result. The pub took its name from an essay by George Orwell, in which the author described his ideal pub, the fictitious Moon Under Water. "Like other Wetherspoon pubs it will have a complete ban on all music and pool tables," The Standard wrote. "It will specialise in real ales, serving six at all times, including a regular regional beer and others from micro-brewers throughout the UK." It would also have a non-smoking area, the paper added. Photo: Boston Standard
2. B&Q
After its original shop was destroyed by fire, DIY retailer B&Q was all set to open a new store in Boston 25 years ago. The branch - based on the Westbury Road Retail Park, near Tesco - was due to open on July 10. At the time of this photograph, the business had been trading from a temporary site in Tattershall Road. This followed the devastating fire at its premises off John Adams Way (where Matalan is based today) in August 1995. "All new B&Qs have fire sprinkers and smoke vents installed," The Standard noted in June 1998 when it ran this photograph, which shows some of the 80-strong team of staff who would be working at the store, including manager Steve Reid. Photo: Boston Standard