shop talk

Rick Astley was riding high in the charts with ’Never Gonna Give You Up’; the Now That’s What I Call Music series was only up to number 10; Fatal Attraction literally brought us the term ’bunny boiler’; Ikea opened its first UK store; and the Channel Tunnel was given the green light.

Yes, it was 1987, the year that Forecourt Trader first saw the light of day.

I found it difficult to recall what I was doing 25 years ago, but to be honest I find it difficult remembering 25 days ago!

However, I can piece together a few bits. Mr West and I were living happily in our first house together. I was between cars as my Mini had been ’totalled’ by a lorry the previous year. Mr West was probably driving a Reliant Scimitar nice car, shame about the electrics. And I was working on a small magazine called Cash & Carry Wholesaler. Why, when you reminisce, does life always seem simpler and rosier?

Anyway 1987 was a good year for me as it saw the launch of the Cadbury Twirl my number-one favourite chocolate bar ever.

All the joy of a Flake conveniently wrapped in more chocolate sheer chocolatey genius. I can’t believe it’s been around for so long. I hate to think how many Twirls I’ve eaten in 25 years but it’s a lot more than 25.

I tried to find out how much a Twirl cost in 1987 but had no luck. However, rather frighteningly, I did find out that a First Class stamp cost just 18p in 1987 compared with 60p today, while a litre of unleaded cost around 38p compared with around £1 more than that today. It’s enough to make your eyes water. Also in 1987, The Simpsons were introduced to us for the first time on The Tracey Ullman Show, and Heinz tomato ketchup appeared in a super-convenient squeezy bottle.

Of course, forecourts have changed beyond nearly all recognition since 1987. Yes, you can still fill up your car (if you can afford to) but you can also fill up your wallet from an ATM, fill up your phone with a top-up, and even fill up your belly with a snack or even food for your evening meal.

The grubby little kiosk that smelt of oil and maybe could sell you a Mars bar if you were lucky, is now a state-of-the-art convenience store with all mod cons. Now That’s What I Call Progress!