Simon Stabler selects 30 issues, features and events in the history of BoB.
1994
The first issue of Best of British went on sale on 1 November 1994. Edited by Neil Patrick and published by Choice Publications – a joint venture between Emap and France’s Bayard Presse – the debut edition featured articles by Barry Took, Hannah Gordon and Marguerite Patten, and took a look at the greatest living Britons.
1995
In September 1995, Best of British was acquired by Ian Beacham Publishing, a company founded by the eponymous former Emap publisher who, during his 29 years with his old firm, launched titles such as Country Walking and Your Horse.
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1996
Several readers wrote in to point out that we incorrectly illustrated the feature on the Routemaster bus in the January/February 1996 edition with a photograph of an AEC Regent III. Sadly, this wouldn’t be the last time we did this but, rest assured, the current editorial team knows the different between the two buses (and the Spitfire and the Hurricane).
1997
In 1997, Ian Beacham took a back seat and licensed the production of BoB to CMS Publishing of Stamford, Lincolnshire. The editor from the November/December 1997 edition was Peter Kelly who had a long and successful publishing career in which he edited several railway and motorcycling titles including Motor Cycle and the Railway Magazine, as well as launching Steam Railway, Old Glory and RAIL.
1998
No one did more to shape this magazine more than Peter Kelly who turned the publication from bimonthly to monthly with the May 1998 issue. Peter also introduced the union flag masthead in the same edition, which, despite a few tweaks, has remained to this day.
1999
The first total solar eclipse to be visible from the UK since 1927 took place on 11 August 1999. Travelling to Cornwall, the only place in mainland Britain to witness totality, was Peter Kelly who reported on it for the October 1999 edition. However, instead of travelling to Cornwall by car and booking into a hotel, Peter cycled from Peterborough and stayed the night before the eclipse in a tent. It wasn’t Peter’s longest cycling trip, as he was a regular “end to ender” and made several trips from Land’s End to John o’ Groats by both pushbike and motorcycle.
2000
Ian Beacham brought BoB back in-house from the March 2000 issue, returning as publisher and editor-in-chief. Now based in offices above Barclays Bank in Market Deeping, Peter Kelly remained as editor with Linne Matthews joining as publishing assistant.
2001
Following the departure of Peter Kelly, Ian Becham takes over the day to day editing of the magazine from July 2001. Linne Matthews would be promoted to editorial assistant from the October edition, and took over as editor in early 2009.
2002
Bob Barton, writer of our popular Postcard from… strand made his BoB debut in the March 2002 edition with a feature called Pedalling Around the Garden of England. From May 2008, Bob would write the regular column Best Foot Forward before turning in Postcard from the Isle of Wight in September 2010.
2003
The first Best of British Nostalgia Day was held at Crich Tramway Village on Sunday 21 September 2003. In association with the International Lledo Model Diecast Show, it featured musicians and re-enactors and celebrated the 100th anniversary of LCC tram 106. Visitors were presented with a mounted Lledo model of the tram, which was limited to 2,000 pieces and included an advert for Best of British on the side. There was also a limited edition Best of British Morris Minor Van model which was available for sale, alongside back issues and subscriptions, from the BoB stand.
2004
Jim Palm, who for many years compiled our crossword, wrote about the BBC’s sound effects department in the March 2004 issue. Jim, who died in 2020, recalled working in the department, repairing and maintaining the corporation’s effects recordings, dealing with programme makers’ requests and creating new effects when required.
2005
The Best of British Festival was held at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire on 29 May 2005. As well as celebrating classic vehicles from the centre’s collection, it showcased artisan producers including lacemakers and rocking horse manufactures.
2006
Although we had featured guides to 1940s re-enactments in previous years, the April 2006 edition was the first to feature a dedicated 1940s pull-out “extra”. Containing articles as well diary dates, the guide would appear every April, with the exception of 2021 when it was postponed until the June issue as a result of the uncertainty surrounding Covid.
2007
In his September 2007 editorial, Ian Beacham announced a revamped Best of British website, which included a discussion area “where readers can record their opinions, memories, suggestions, anything really – and converse with like-minded folk.” Today, of course, computer users can do this on Facebook and Twitter but, in my opinion, the Postbag and Yesterday Remembered pages of this magazine remain the best forums.
2008
Joanna Glanville joins BoB as a publishing assistant from the June 2008 edition. She would become an editorial assistant and, later, assistant editor to Caroline Chadderton. Her departure from the magazine in spring 2011 led to my hiring.
2009
Possibly the most popular regular feature in the magazine, Treasures in the Attic made its debut in the April 2009 edition. An evolution of writer Brian Howes’ Collectors’ Corner, original editions included the price of a particular item in its entry. However, from July 2009, the prices were moved to the answers page and readers invited to guess how much each item was worth.
2010
In the August 2010 edition, reader Mick shared his collection of Butlin’s memorabilia. Numbering approximately 10,000 items from badges and uniforms to a family bike and a dulcimer used for waking up campers. The magazine continues to celebrate readers’ collections, but can anyone do better than Mick?
2011
Former actress Caroline Chadderton, who had worked with Neil Patrick at Yours magazine, took over as editor of BoB from the February 2011 issue. In December, Ian Beacham sold the magazine to west London-based publisher Metropolis International. I was the only member of staff to keep my job, but the downside was, instead of a 10-minute walk from home to the office, I would from the New Year have to endure a four to five-hour round-trip commute to North Acton.
2012
The first issue of the magazine to be published by Metropolis International’s Diamond Publishing imprint was the March 2012 edition. The new editor was Chris Peachment who had previously worked as film editor for Time Out, and deputy literary editor and arts editor for The Times.
2013
During my time at BoB, I’ve driven a selection of heritage vehicles including a Routemaster bus, steam locomotives and even a Caterham Seven sports car. However, my favourite driving experience was “flying” around Crich Tramway Village at the controls of Blackpool Corporation Transport 630 for a feature which ran in the August 2013 issue.
2014
Chris Peachment decided to retire to his home in Crete and I was asked if I would be interested in applying to succeed him. After a successful interview, I waited for Chris’s departure which was meant to be in December at the end of his notice period. However, in early October, publisher Andy McDuff rang me to say that Chris was already heading to the airport after the sale of his London home had gone through earlier than expected. The November 2014 issue was 90% complete, he assured me, it just needed a cover. As I soon discovered, finding the right cover is often more than 10% of the work but I’m happy with the end result.
2015
Ian McCann, then editor of Record Collector until December 2017, wrote his first monthly column for Best of British in February 2015. Offering a wry take on life, he would continue to write a column, which appeared on page 3 underneath my own editorial, until April 2024.
2016
One of the joys of being editor on a magazine like BoB is the ability to cover many different subjects. I am lucky to have a great collection of specialist writers who are able to turn in articles at short notice but like to write my own features when time allows. One company whose history had always fascinated me is the Bourne-based Delaine Buses, which I celebrated as the November 2016 cover feature.
2017
As a writer on shows such as The Two Ronnies, Morecambe and Wise, and The Kenny Everett Television Show, I had long admired the comedian Barry Cryer and was delighted that he agreed to be interviewed for our May 2017 issue. Baz ended up loving this magazine and between September 2017 and December 2018 had a column on the back pages, filled with anecdotes from his long career with plenty of namedrops along the way, he really had worked with everyone who was anyone.
2018
“Hello, is that Simon Stabler? It’s Bernard Cribbins here, I’ve been told you’d like to speak to me,” went the phone call. And, so, thanks to Barry Cryer, I got to interview another national treasure. The interview, which appeared in the July 2018 issue, resulted in another call from Bernard who wanted to thank me for an “absolutely lovely” feature.
2019
Just as he replaced Peter Davison as the Doctor, Colin Baker took over from Barry Cryer as our star columnist from the January 2019 issue. Like Baz before him, Colin has worked with almost everybody in the world of entertainment, and every column he turns in is a pleasure to read.
2020
The February 2020 issue marked the retirement of the High Speed Train, better-known as the InterCity 125. In my editorial, I recalled how commuting was an absolute pleasure onboard one of these trains and I would miss them. However, a month later, the country entered lockdown and never again would I have to commute. Which, given how uncomfortable the HST’s replacement is, was no bad thing.
2021
Actor and singer Derek Griffiths was the cover star of our September 2021 issue. In the accompanying interview, he mentioned how before recording the children’s series SuperTed, he would meet with his co-stars Jon Pertwee, Roy Kinnear, Melvyn Hayes and Victor Spinetti for a pub lunch. His jokey comments about “these drunken actors all rolling about the floor,” were picked up by the Daily Mirror, which ran the headline “I was a bear with a sore head”, and the Daily Express who reported “I was worse for bear on SuperTed”.
2022
The death of Elizabeth II was marked in the November issue with a look at Her late Majesty’s comedy favourites. The issue included an interview with Sanjeev Bhaskar whose sitcom The Kumars at No 42 was said to be the late queen’s favourite television programme.
2023
With the November 2023 edition, which celebrated the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, doing so well, it came as a surprise to learn that Metropolis International (by then rebranded Emap, having bought the company’s trade titles) was planning on selling the magazine. Luckily, Mortons, a company that continues to value print titles, was the successful bidder, ensuring that BoB will be celebrating a few more anniversaries to come.
Best of British celebrated its 30th anniversary in November 2024. Join us for the next one with a subscription!
