CUSTOMERS enjoyed cake and fizz as they helped Peebles retailer Castle Warehouse celebrate its diamond anniversary in the Northgate.

On November 20, 1964 – 60 years ago – the manager, 24-year-old Sandy Finlayson, opened the doors for the first time at the three-floor furniture, flooring and bedding branch of the family firm founded in 1896.

Sandy, a grandson of the family firm’s founding partner Alexander, had joined the company after training as a manager at Patrick Thomson’s in Edinburgh.

A Castle Warehouse spokesperson said: “A chance to expand into a new area of business came with the purchase of the former Freer Smith’s auction rooms.

“When you stand at the Cuddyside end (outside the shop) you can see that the building has been extended and ‘customised’.”

Last Saturday, the closest to the actual anniversary, members of Castle Warehouse staff including Kate Jones (née Finlayson); her brother, the current manager of the Northgate branch, Robert Finlayson; Chris Green and Colin Millar cut a 60th anniversary cake, made by Forsyths, to celebrate the momentous occasion.

Sandy’s son Robert also marked 31 years in the Northgate this year since joining his dad in 1993.

Perhaps one of the store’s most oft repeated stories about a sale is that of ‘hell-raising’ actor Oliver Reed ordering a Castle Warehouse armchair in 1996.

In 1996 Reed was in Peebles to film ‘The Bruce’ and his favourite watering hole was The Crown where he became great pals with the owner, Peter Cassidy.

Reed was not happy with the chairs in the bar, often complaining to Mr Cassidy about the “hardness of the seats”.

One day Reed thrust a bundle of notes into the hand of a regular and ordered him: “Go along to the local furniture store Castle Warehouse and buy the pub a properly comfortable armchair.”

The regular returned walking along the street with the chair balanced on his head.

The chair, reupholstered a few times, still sits by the fire beneath a photo of Mr Cassidy and Reed, who passed away in 1999.

And this week Mr Cassidy’s son, Chris, 40, the current Crown landlord, sat in the chair for a Peeblesshire News photo.

Chris, who was a young boy at the time the chair was installed, recalled: “One of my jobs was laying the fire but one day I didn’t do it.

“Reed was giving a talk at the Burgh Hall about the making of the film.

“Whoever laid the fire added Reed’s £300 Italian leather shoes and I found the remains the next day."