PHOTOS: Lancaster goes back in time 50 years for Rewind Festival

Tuesday, 20 September 2022 13:43

Entertainment in Market Square as part of the Lancaster Rewind Festival: 1972.

Lancaster went back in time 50 years for a nostalgic Rewind Festival: 1972.

The festival, organised by Lancaster Business Improvement District (BID), included a day of live music in Market Square, a 1970s night, walks and talks exploring Lancaster 50 years ago, a screening of the 1972 film 'Cabaret' and a photo exhibition showing how the city has changed in half a century.

The event launched on Thursday night with the opening of the photo exhibition at the City Museum.

Historic images of Lancaster in 1972 sit side-by-side with modern-day pictures taken by photographer Brian Ormerod, at the exhibition which runs until September 28.

HPA Chartered Architects in Lancaster secured access to the black-and-white images taken for a special edition of the Architect's Journal in 1972.

A special booklet was also produced to highlight some of the businesses which have traded in Lancaster for 50 years or more.

At the launch, we spoke to Jonathan Banks Lyon from Banks Lyon Shoes. Jonathan began working at the family shop on Church Street around 50 years ago.

LISTEN to Jonathan Banks Lyon talking about the history of the shop.

On Saturday night, The Pub on China Street hosted a 1970s night.

This began with Barry Lucas in conversation with Beyond Radio's Greg Lambert.

Barry is the former entertainments manager at Lancaster University, who brought many of the biggest names in rock 'n' roll to perform on the university campus in the '70s and '80s.

He told fascinating stories about some of the acts who came to Lancaster in 1972, including Roxy Music, Chuck Berry, Free, and Paul McCartney and Wings.

Barry also spoke about opening the Ear 'Ere record store in Lancaster around that time.

The talk was followed by a 1972 quiz hosted by Kriss Foster, and 1972 music from DJ Dandy von Diamond.

On Sunday, tour guide Gregory Wright hosted walks around Lancaster, while live 1970s-themed entertainment centred around the Melodrome stage in Market Square.

Entertainment came from Lois, The Laura Sandham School of Dance, Stagecoach Dance School, The Howling Clowns, Ziggy Stardust Flashmob, Henry 'The Rocket Man' Askew, Davie Allen and Raspberry Glam.

Here are some photos from the event, by photographer Ginny Koppenhol.