Brighton councillor John Blackman revealed all to the BBC when Britain’s first major holiday resort agreed to open a naturist beach in 1979. A 200-yard stretch of shoreline near the pier had been controversially earmarked for nudist bathers despite demands from some for a cover-up.

“I personally have got no objection to people showing their breasts and bosoms and general genitalia to one another. Jolly good luck to them but for heaven’s sake they should go somewhere more private. What distresses me is that people naively believe what is good for the Continent is good for Britain.”

The Central Council for British Naturism brazenly campaigned for the nudist area which soon became a national cause celebre. Brighton was divided but Councillor Eileen Jakes had the answer – she persuaded colleagues to take a more liberal approach at their meeting by passing around photographs of herself bathing topless in Ibiza.

The seafront landlady and grandmother urged the idea would help boost tourism and the beach finally opened the following year. Dozens of resorts around the country have since embraced nakedness, allowing holidaymakers to get their kit off without being slapped with an ASBO.

It’s easy to forget that the conservative Britain of 1980 was a very different place to what it is now, especially on the road. The Ford Escort and Austin Metro were best sellers but the long-serving Ford Cortina and more stylish Vauxhall Cavalier were locked in a battle to be the country’s family favourite.