A new exhibition at the Amelia Scott Centre in Tunbridge Wells tells how the Subbuteo table soccer game was invented in the town and rapidly became a global phenomenon.
From the 1940s to the 1980s, hundreds - perhaps thousands - of local people contributed to the success of Subbuteo table soccer and other games created by the West Kent-based company.
Some worked as full-time employees, while others hand painted teams of players at home.
The free Oh! Oh! Oh! Subbuteo exhibition runs until 5 January 2025 and features items that you may recall if you played the game or worked for the company, plus rare items few people have seen before.
In these reports, West Kent Radio's Brian Johnson asks Amelia Exhibitions Officer Ed Liddle (pictured here) and Arts, Heritage & Engagement Director Jeremy Kimmel about Subbuteo and its history.
Report 1: What you will see at the Oh! Oh! Oh! Subbuteo exhibition.
Report 2: The history of Subbuteo and those who worked for the company.
Report 3: Subbuteo's cultural impact on our area and a surprising link with The Beatles.
Subbuteo table soccer was launched by Langton Green resident Peter Adolph just after the Second World War and manufactured locally for decades.
At one time, the company operated from premises all over our area and gained a reputation for bei
ng highly entrepreneurial in its approach before finally being bought out by a major games manufacturer.
Over the years, Peter looked for opportunities to market other sports-related games and extend the Subbuteo brand in sometimes in surprising ways.
It's no exaggeration to say that almost everyone in our area of a certain age either worked for the company of knew someone who did.
The town's links with the game hit the headlines in September when Tunbridge Wells hosted the The Subbuteo World Cup 2024, attracting hundreds of the world's top table soccer players to the town.
Clive Maxwell-Yates and Brian Johnson report on this year's Subbuteo World Cup.
For more on Subbuteto, listen to this interview with local historian Jenny Peterson.
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