"Rumours current in the town for the past six months that Parkview Hostel was closing down and the boys moving to another hostel locally were denied this week by a spokesman of the Ministry of Supply in London," reported the Gazette 50 years ago.

"The School of Electronics, now at RRE, St Andrews Road, will move next September to Pale Manor and be expanded ultimately to accommodate twice the number of apprentices.

"The possibility that the hostel, formerly the County Hotel, was likely to come on the market, has been discussed in the town and suggestions have been made that the Council might consider acquiring it for a new Council House."