TAKE a look back at some of the articles published 50 years ago.

Among those to appear on August 9, 1968, were Radcliffe Market's decision to begin trading on Saturdays and the town's preparations for the annual carnival day.

WHEN Radcliffe market opens for Saturday trading for the first time next week every stall will be taken.

Traders have enthusiastically supported the move to open the hall on Saturdays and are optimistic that the venture will be a great success.

Many shopkeepers in the town opposed the scheme, fearing that the extra competition would seriously affect their takings and force the closure of some smaller businesses.

But Bury Council is confident that a Saturday market will, on the contrary, stimulate local trade to everyone's benefit.

The council was encouraged to embark on a third opening day — in addition to Tuesdays and Fridays — by the waiting list of traders wanting to rent stalls.

The present market hall was opened in 1937. The old market had been held outdoors on Fridays. Then came a proposal for the building of the Odeon Cinema in the town centre and the council decided to erect a new market hall by the river.

The Odeon opened in August, 1937 and the market hall at the end of the year. Tuesday markets were started when the hall opened.

Next week will see another important day in the market's history, a day that could herald a period of even greater commercial success for the market itself, and a day that could lead to the town centre becoming once again a hub of activity at the weekend in an increasingly prosperous Radcliffe.

ALMOST a full year of planning and organisation will burst into glorious flower tomorrow when Radcliffe Carnival filles the streets of the town with a mile-long multi-hued cavalcade of about 50 decorated floats and vehicles and 1,500 brilliantly dressed dancers, entertainers, comic characters and bandsmen.

For the past two years rain has badly damped the colour and spectacle of the event, but the organisers, who began work planning tomorrow's carnival almost before the 1967 rain-soaked bunting had dried out, are confident that this year sunshine and blue skies will provide a brilliant backdrop for the event.

There will be morris dancing troupes, a number of jazz bands, family rides, carnival queens, a procession and more.