Retirement at 65 marks a new chapter in the career of Press and Journal man Peter Mitchell, as he starts work on a new weekly diary for the paper.

The long-time sub and latter-day diarist and bon viveur has spent the past five years tirelessly working the north-east social circuit on the hunt for snippets for his daily column.

He’ll continue to chronicle the funny, touching and often bizarre side of life in a new weekly diary in the Press and Journal every Friday, while his photo diary will continue to be a highlight of the Saturday paper.

Peter embarked on his career as a journalist in 1968 when he joined Highland Printers, publishers of the Caithness Courier, in January 1968.

He rose to become editor, before moving to the Press and Journal as a graduate trainee in August 1972.

He moved to the subs desk in 1976, was promoted to deputy chief sub in 1984, moved on to night news editor in 1986 and transferred to night production editor three years later.

Highlights included the night Aberdeen won the European Cup-Winners’ Cup against Real Madrid in Gothenburg in 1983, and the nine years he doubled up as rugby writer.

He went on to launch Mitchell’s diary on March 1, 2001. The aim was to provide an antidote to the bad news that often dominates the headlines and the feature has become one of the most popular features in the newspaper, with a loyal readership and regular contributors across the Press and Journal’s circulation area.

Diary stories were followed up by the national papers. One favourite was a picture story showing the remarkable resemblance of Aberdeen fishmonger Ken Watmough to the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Colonel Sanders.

More recently he told how ice cream giant Maitland Mackie managed to get back to Britain from Norway, minus his passport, thanks to an official with a sense of humour at Aberdeen Airport who agreed to let him in if he could identify the latest flavour of Mackie’s ice cream. The businessman correctly named raspberry ripple.

Press and Journal editor Derek Tucker said: “I am delighted that Peter will continue to write his diary every Friday and submit his photo diary every Saturday, as well as continuing to represent the Press and Journal at functions – normally until 3am, with two women on each arm.” Do you have a story about the regional press?
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