1990 - 1999
New Alma 1996
New homes created within the Alma Mill, and it's Alma / Netherwood Great War memorial reinstated. Image courtesy Patrick Anderson
1995 - 1999
1995 (Feb) Gerrard Bros. boatbuilding business (beside the Lifeboat Station) closes. 1995 (Feb) Arbroath Musical Society's production this year is 'Brigadoon'. 1995 (Feb) 'Munchies' sandwich bar & 'Picture House' open at 37 Millgate. Last year Jas.B.Craig's china shop closed here after 155 yrs trading. 1995 (Feb 15) The Telephone Exchange on Millgate Loan 'goes digital'. To the rear of the building, part of Nicholl's Mill remains. 1995 Reid Hydraulic Services of Woodside of Kinnell is established. 1995 (Mar 28) Ponderlaw Lane sheltered housing opens. 1995 (Apr 1) Miniature 'Formula 1' comes to Arbroath when a track is opened at the former Crazy Golf & Putting area. 1995 (Jun 21) George Shepherd, now the Arbroath Herald's editor, opens the new flat development in the old Public Baths Building. 1995 (Jun 29) The summer Road Train, not unlike Kerr's 'Brighton Belle' of the 50s, starts running between the West Links & the Abbey. The third phase of the re-vamped West Links also opens today. 1995 ' Lion Hunt: a royal tomb-effigy at Arbroath Abbey ', by G. S. Gimson, is published. He presents evidence which he argues makes more probable that the 14th century Frosterley marble effigy, discovered within the Abbey in 1816, indeed depicts King William the Lion. Acceptance of this would mean that the Arbroath figure is the only surviving example of an effigy of a medieval King of Scotland. 1995 (Jul 14) Kwik-Fit open their tyre service in Catherine Street. 1995 82 High Street becomes 'Corky's Bar'. 1995 Fraser Ogston's ' De Vito's Bar ' opens at 11 Millgate. 1995 (Aug) VJ Parade - 50th Anniversary. 1995 Arbroath Golf Club host the Scottish Boys Strokeplay. 1995 David Spink launches www.arbroath.org.uk, a window on all Arbroath related topics. 1995 Connelly & Yeoman, soliciters & estate agent are established at 78 High Street. This site has been the Sherriff's Court House, John Lamb (butcher), East Angus Co-op Society & Wilson (butcher). 1995 Braick's Wynd (from Church Street's original name) properties are built in James St. 1995 'By Christmas', 23 Keptie Street (street level) has been renamed 'The West Port Bar'. 1996 (Feb) Arbroath Musical Society's production this year is 'Oliver !' 1996 (Mar) Radio North Angus becomes the first Scottish and second British hospital radio station to commence FM transmissions. 1996 (Apr) Tayside Region gives way to 'single tier' Councils including Angus. 1996 Almost 1,000 unexploded bombs are found at Lunan Bay, dropped during RAF practise in WW11. 1996 The Seaforth Hotel is given an exterior facelift. 1996 (Jun 24) The old Alma Works of Francis Webster & Sons, now transformed into a housing development, is officially opened by Arbroath born S.S. for Scotland Michael Forsyth. The Alma Works & Netherwood Works Great War memorial has been reinstated & is displayed in the foyer of the building. 1996 (Jul) The C.A.F.E. Project is established & opens Oct 26 at Brothock Bridge in St Ninian's. 1996 Tom Lawson of Abbeythune donates ground at St Vigeans enabling the formation of a park. 1996 Holland & Barrett open at 229 High Street. 1996 Ferriers florist business at 25 Market Place is aquired by Irene Mitchell. 1996 82 High Street becomes 'Poppy's' public bar. 1996 'Seaton Cliffs Nature Trail' is published. 1996 Arbroath FC play Bon Accord for the first time since 1885 and win (a mere) 4-0 . 1996 (Nov 8) Angus Business Centre opens in Keptie Road. 1996 (Nov) The Stone of Destiny is returned to Scotland permanently & placed in Edinburgh Castle. Present at the ceremony, 45 years after leaving it Saltire draped within Arbroath Abbey, are Ian Hamilton & Kay Matheson, two of the four custodians of the Stone from December 1950 until April 1951. 1997 (Feb) Arbroath Musical Society's production this year is 'Half-A-Sixpence'. 1997 (Mar 10) The fishing boat 'Westhaven' (AH190) is lost approx 100 miles NE of Aberdeen when trawling gear is trapped below the Piper to Flotta oil pipeline. Four fishermen lose their lives: George Patterson, Mark Hannah, Allan Cunningham & Christopher Prouse. A memorial to them is placed near the Harbourmaster's Office. 1997 (Jun) Kute Kids open at 265 High Street. 1997 (Jun 16) Anne Robson opens Abbey Gifts at 238 High Street. 1997 (Jun) Antiquary House opens in Hospitalfield. 1997 The location of the annual Angus Agricultural Show is moved from Victoria Park to Brechin. 1997 (Aug) Arbroath's first 'Sea Fest' is celebrated, expected to be held during the 3rd weekend of August each year. 1997 Angus Archives unite with the 'Wm Coull Anderson Library of Genealogy. 1997 A ten metre extension to the Lifeboat slipway is completed. 1997 ZigZak Computers relocate to 29 Millgate. 1997 Danger Point bridge (built 1958), is replaced as part of the area's upgrade. 1997 11 flats are built by Hillcrest Housing Association at the old St Columba church on the corner of Princes St & Queen St. 1997 Marco's fish & chip shop opens at Shore. 1997 Andrew Welsh becomes MP for Angus until 2001. 1997 (Sep 11) In a Scottish Referendum, Arbroath & the rest of Scotland vote in favour of a) the establishment of a devolved Scottish Parliament & b) that this Parliament should have tax varying powers. 1997 (Sep) Council approval is given to replace windows in 55 Council houses (Newton Ave., Newton Cres., Newton pl. & Bloomfield Cres). 1997 (Oct) The Macnan of Scotland building (on the left of the old Herald building), is demolished to make way for 20 new houses for the Hillcrest Housing Association. 1997 (Nov) The Seaforth Hotel is purchased by Bill & Sandra Rennie. 1997 (Dec) The last of the Herald's Xmas numbers (end of year book) is produced. 1998 (?) Turnkey Gallery opens at 271 High Street. 1998 (Feb) Arbroath Musical Society's production this year is 'Singin' In The Rain'. 1998(Feb) Rescue work on the A92 near Arbroath reveal Pictish souterrains & 2 or 3 burial cists. 1998 The Pageant Society marks the 400th anniversary of the town receiving it's royal charter. 1998 Callson Agricultural Ltd (animal feed) is formed in Colliston. 1998 The 'Waterfront' (previously 'Club Metro') opens. 1998 The YMCA building at 79 High Street is replaced by a development of flats. 1998 USAs Senate asserts that the American Declaration of Independence is modelled on the 1320 Papal letter signed in Arbroath. USA adopts April 6th as 'Tartan Day'. 1998 Francesco ('Frank') Orsi, owner of the 'Cairnie Chip Shop' dies, he & his wife Dorothy having run this premises since 1961. The business carries on under the direction of their children, Mike & Paula. 1998 The new Post Office opens at Unit 7, Abbeygate Shopping Centre. 1998 W. H. Smith take over 196 High Street, up to now the premises of John Menzies. 1998 (Nov) Radio North Angus is awarded an independent Local Radio licence & opens RNA FM, a local voluntary commercial radio station. 1998 (Nov 17) The Scotland Act 1998 is passed, establishing a devolved Scottish Parliament. 1998 (Nov 25) 'Cash Generators' open at 7a Fisheracre. 1998 - 99 An archaelogical excavation is carried out by CFA at a prehistoric (period uncertain) tapered (80m x 70m - 35m) defended promontory site at Elliot. Two burial cists and a dug grave is discovered, containing a copper alloy ring and an iron object, but no human remains. 1999 (Jan) Hayshead Primary pupils bury a time capsule below the new Safeway Store. 1999 (Feb) Arbroath Musical Society's production this year is 'Me And My Girl'. 1999 (Jun) Abbey Fruit open new premises in Kirkton Ind Estate. 1999 (Jun 28) The extension to St Thomas RC Primary School is officially opened. 1999 (Jul 1) The Scottish Parliament sits in Edinburgh for the first time since 1707. 1999 (Jul) Neighbours Carnoustie host the Open Golf Championship, won by Paul Lawrie. 1999 The H.O.P.E. Garden Veg Box Scheme begins, supplying locals with organic vegetables. 1999 Andy Stewart Court sheltered housing scheme is opened by the widow of the entertainer. 1999 Johnson Press plc buy the Arbroath Herald for £1m. from George Shepherd, M.D. & Chairman. The editorial position is filled by Muriel Steven until Sept when Colin Hume takes over. The office will remain in the town but the limited company ceases & printing will now take place in Camelon, Falkirk. 1999 1 Catherine Street becomes the ' Odin ' nightclub. 1999 One hundred oaks, the first trees of the Angus Millennium Forest, are planted in Arbroath. The project, unsurpassed since Victorian times, involves the planting of 180,000 native trees as well as hedges & footpaths. It will develop into 55 community woodlands, enhancing the environments around Montrose, Arbroath, Carnoustie, Newtyle, Forfar & Brechin. Click here: for local plantations. 1999 Michael Robertson is appointed musical director of the Arbroath Instrumental Band. 1999 'Mackies' take over the Montrose Road premises which Edmund Laskowski had opened as a garsge in 1960. 1999 Lothian Borders & Angus Co-operative take over the undertaking business of David Mackay & Company. 1999 (Autumn) Refurbishment of Carnoustie Parish Church's organ involves the transplant of redundant pedal pipework from the organ of the closed Arbroath Parish Church. 1999 The decision is made to build a visitor centre at the harbour. (See Feb 2006). 1999 PG Packaging open new premises in Elliot Industrial Est. 1999 RNA FM is authorised to increase output from 25 to 200 watts in order to cover a large area of the county. 1999 (Dec) McDonalds open at Westway Retail Park. 1999 (Dec 28) 'Fishsafe', an electronic device giving audible warning to fishing boat skippers when near oil pipelines or other under water obstructions, will go into full production during 2000. It is designed to prevent a repeat of the 'Westhaven' tragedy of 1997.
VJ Parade August '95
Once St Ninian's Church - now the C.A.F.E. Project
Marco's at the harbour
The ' Westhaven ' crew remembered
Andy Stewart Court opens 1999
The comet Hale-Bopp over the Abbey in April 1999 image copyright Neil Murray
Fast forward 10 years - Ponderlaw Wood (part of the Angus Millennium Forest) at Springfield Park in 2009
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