10 years ago

GLORIOUS sunshine and multiple victories for home town clubs helped to make the 175th Henley Royal Regatta a huge success. About 85,000 people bought tickets for the five-day event and tens of thousands more had picnics and watched the racing from the banks of the Thames. Upper Thames Rowing Club claimed two titles during Sunday’s finals, the first time the Henley club has won at the regatta since it was founded more than 50 years ago.

Traders in Henley received a welcome boost from the royal regatta. Many businesses reported having more custom than in previous years and some even said they had experienced their best year for sales. Clothes shops in particular experienced a lift in sales due to both local customers and visitors. Menswear stores Laurence and Sullivans, which are next to each other in Duke Street, both reported big sales increases.

A safe containing thousands of pounds in cash was stolen in a raid on Greys Court during Saturday night. It is thought a gang with a vehicle was behind the theft as the safe weighs around 500lb when empty and was full of takings, much of it in coins.