Terrorists hit Mirror plant
This was the scene of destruction after 20 pounds of gelignite planted by terrorists exploded in the roof of the Daily Mirror's printing plant in Belfast. Press Gazette reported that "the whole building buckled and half of the Urabanite web offset press disappeared". As a precaution, the Mirror's news office in the centre of Belfast was evacuated.
Standard's Callan to edit new Mail diary
The Daily Mail had poached Paul Callan, editor of the Evening Standard's Londoner's Diary, to edit a new diary planned by editor David English. Press Gazette noted that Callan was to be replaced by "fellow Old Etonian" Jeremy Deedes. It also noted that Deedes was "the son of Conservative MP and former minister, William Deedes, who recently completed 40 years in Fleet Street". Thirty years later, "Bill"Deedes has clocked up an amazing 70 years in Fleet Street and is still writing for the Daily Telegraph, while Jeremy Deedes is chairman of the new betting paper, The Sportsman.
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Thumbs up to People
move People editor Bob Edwards was pictured on the front of Press Gazette, giving the thumbs-up sign after the last forme of the paper came off the stone at Long Acre. The People, along with Sporting Life, was moving to a new home at Orbit House. Edwards is a Fleet Street legend, having edited three nationals — The People, Sunday Mirror and Daily Express.
Cosmo launch
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The first issue of the British edition of Cosmopolitan was being planned for a launch in March 1972. Marcus Morris, managing director of the National Magazines Company, said the British version would be "tailored to suit the British reader". In the US, sales of Cosmo had risen from 600,000 to 1.4 million in seven years, following the appointment of Helen Gurley Brown as editor. It was her job to find an editor for the British edition.
Now it's always on Sundays in Orkney
A volunteer newspaper delivery service had ended the "never on Sunday" tradition of the Orkney Isles. Ian Thomas and his wife, Sheila, provided Sunday papers to islanders on the Sabbath via their boat across the Pentland Firth from John O'Groats.
Previously, the islanders had to wait for a BEA flight from the mainland, which meant they couldn't get their hands on the Sunday papers until Monday.
Basildon unmoved by nudist cover
Reporter Liz Wall and her photographer husband, Bob, went as nature intended when they covered a nudist colony in a feature for the Basildon Standard Recorder.
"I felt a bit silly at first," said Bob, "but once you've been there for five minutes you realise no one is looking at you." Liz said: "I was a bit apprehensive, but it didn't bother me once we were there." Editor Tony Blandford told Press Gazette: "I think we have proved that bright treatment of a feature is no longer regarded by the public as irresponsible."
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