100 years ago.

Flower selling in the streets appears to be a very profitable business judging by the number who pursue it. The trade has been growing to such dimensions of late that the retail florists who suffer severely from this sort of 'free trade' have approached the Urban Council for 'protection'. The police are to be asked to exercise stricter control over the hawkers, and this may have the effect of decreasing their numbers. The chief flower now retailed by the street vendors its the primrose, which they can pick in the neighbouring woods where they are now blooming in profusion. The primrose costs little to gather, but when made up in bunches, the flower brings in the seller a nice little revenue.

Malvern Gazette, March 6, 1914.

50 years ago.

It is 12 months since the Wallman family took over the Foley Arms Hotel, and under the enthusiastic management of Mr Tony Wallman junior, developments at the hotel are well under way. All the stabling attached to the hotel is now pulled down and a staffhouse is being built, together with a car park for 20 houses and garages, all with access from Edith Walk. In the hotel, a lot of new carpets and furniture are on order, most of the plumbing has been renewed and the installation of 12 new bathrooms and toilets has begun. Air-conditioning is being introduced into the kitchen and during the summer the central-heating system will be extended to all the rooms. The number of guest bedrooms will by these alterations be increased to 30. All these additions will be completed this year.

Malvern Gazette, Friday, March 6, 1964.

25 years ago.

Motorists frustrated by the closure of part of New Street, Ledbury, are putting pedestrians in danger by using a hotel access as a short cut,, it was claimed this week. "We have had about one car every ten minutes using the route through our car park to the High Street since the part-closure of New Street at the beginning of the week," said Mr Tim Wingrove, manager of the Feathers Hotel in the High Street. "People walking through the hotel car park could be at risk from these drivers," he warned. Mr Terry Ryan, proprietor of Ye Olde Talbot Hotel, directly opposite the New Street entrance to the Feathers, said cars had been using the Feathers car park since Monday. "One driver goes through, and then the others behind him get the message and do the same thing," he said. Mr Ryan said he feared a fall in his own trade if the gas main work causing the road closure is not completed quickly.

Malvern Gazette, Friday, March 10, 1989.