Was Seaton the best in the country at welcoming the roadshow?

The stars of radio were on their way to Hartlepool for a summer of fun in the sun 25 years ago.
The Radio 1 Roadshow was a big hit every time it came to Seaton Carew.The Radio 1 Roadshow was a big hit every time it came to Seaton Carew.
The Radio 1 Roadshow was a big hit every time it came to Seaton Carew.

It was time, once again, for the Radio 1 Roadshow to be held on Seaton seafront and that meant well-known personalities pulling in the crowds in 1993.

That year, DJ Gary Davies was once again set to host the mega party which always packed in an appreciative audience.

The crowds at one of the roadshows.The crowds at one of the roadshows.
The crowds at one of the roadshows.
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In other years, Peter Powell, Janice Long, Smiley Miley and Mark Page were among the stars to grace the town.

But as one Hartlepool Borough Council official said in 1993: “The real stars will, yet again, be the people from the town who go along and make it one of the best roadshows held anywhere in the country.”

Tourism officer David Shields said at the time: “The roadshows here are always a great success and are now becoming an annual feature of summer in Seaton.”

Mike Read and Simon Mayo were two of the others to come to town for an event which remained a favourite for years.

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The audience was always treated to a mix of music, and games such as Bits and Pieces and immitating TV personalities.

In 1993, it promised four hours of entertainment on the seafront with the Hartlepool Mail reporting at the time: “It is promising to draw thousands from up and down the coast.”

But what else was happening that year.

Here’s a bit of a taster of the events of 1993 and watch out for more in this Saturday’s Retro supplement in the Hartlepool Mail.

* It was a hot summer that year and Seaton was bustling with more than just music lovers. Pubs were packed, fish and chip shops were doing a roaring trade and the beaches were busy.

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It was just as much a hive of activity at HMS Trincomalee and the Wingfield Castle. The HMS Trincomalee Trust reported increased visitor numbers by 61 per cent.

* And still in Seaton, it was all the fun of the fair with brass bands, tug of war, karate, and a penalty shootout at Seaton Park.

* Back in Hartlepool, there were now hosts at the Saxon pub in Easington Road in Hartlepool, where Brian and Betty Shakeshaft were in charge.

* And back in 1993, Hartlepool was just as good at dancing as it is now. Nine-year-old Gemma Leighton, retained her under-10 disco dancing title in the British Isles championships and partnered Louise Reid, 10, to the under-12 championship pairs crown.

It all added up to a busy year and we would love your memories of the era, whether it’s an item of news or your favourite sporting memory.

Get in touch by emailing [email protected].