What will you be doing on royal wedding day?

Reporters Eddie van der Walt and James Williams find out what you'll be doing during the special day

Newburytoday.co.uk hit the town centre this week to find out just how people will be celebrating the royal wedding.

Whilst many said they intended to plonk themselves in front of a television to watch the drama unfold on the Bank Holiday, others plan to party.

Some from the local area, such as Newbury MP Richard Benyon, have been lucky enough to have been invited to the wedding at Westminster Abbey.

Mr Benyon, who will wear a morning suit for the occasion, said: “Like everybody else I have met around here, we are really excited about it. It is a local girl getting married. At the heart of this is two people who are in love and I think that is a lovely thing to remember.

“When Prince Charles married Princess Diana I was in the army in Cologne, Germany, and I went into this bar which had been completely flattened in the war and had been rebuilt.

“Everyone in this German bar was watching this British royal wedding, I'll never forget it.

“Once they found out we were British we didn't have to buy another drink that evening.”

John Coffey of Thatcham works for Veolia as a street cleaner in Newbury town centre but he will be putting his brush aside tomorrow (Friday) when he travels to London for the wedding.

The 52-year-old said: “I'm going to London because I like the Royal family and it is an occasion for the whole country to celebrate.

“I'll be taking in the atmosphere during the day with family and friends and then I'm going to a concert in Hyde Park in the evening.

“It's a great occasion for the community.”

It will also be a family affair for Lawson and Barbara Bayliss and their daughter Belinda Bond and granddaughter Charlotte Bond of Abingdon who are planning to watch the wedding together.

Mr Bayliss said: “My son, Shawn, was in the Blues and Royals, which is part of the Household Cavalry, based at Knightsbridge for 15 years so we'll be watching to see the cavalry.”

Belinda Bond added: “I remember the wedding of Charles and Diana. It was a really hot day and everyone watched it on the tele.

“I think there is more build up and excitement for William and Kate's wedding.

“It's something that distracts from the doom and gloom in the world. It's also part of our heritage.”

Bucklebury resident Alan Gibbons, aged 65, is hoping to get some inspiration for his own daughter's wedding in June.

“My daughter is also called Kathryn and is getting married in June so we'll have another Bucklebury bride,” he said.

Spare a thought for the likes of friends Hannah Livermore and Sherrie Stephenson who will be working at Scope charity shop in Northbrook Street, Newbury, and the Snooty Fox in Bartholomew Street, Newbury, respectively.

Others, such as Ali Saunders and her two children Olly, aged ten, and Carissa, aged eight, will be getting away from wedding fever.

Mrs Saunders said: “We are going camping in Wales. I don't think we have a telly there, so we probably won't watch it.

“I do support the royal family, but you have to ask about the amount of money being spent. You can feed quite a few hungry people in Africa for that money.

“I think she (Kate) is quite gorgeous, she fits the bill quite nicely, it will be very storybook-like.”

Newbury town centre policemen Lee Frost and Andy Phillpot are looking forward to a well deserved day off.

Click on the 'related links' to read other royal wedding stories on this website and click on the additional pictures link to see the photos of the people.