always popular in Howden, because of what he wrote in his autobiography: "The lads were what one would expect, straight from the plough, but the girls were an eye-opener. They were brutish and uncouth, filthy in appearance and in habits. Things may have changed since then – I hope they have. Perhaps the girls in very isolated districts such as that had less opportunity than their brothers for getting into the market and making contact with civilisation; I can only record the fact that these girls straight off the farms were the lowest types that I have ever seen in England, and incredibly foul-mouthed." – Slide Rule: Autobiography of an Engineer, Nevil Shute, 1954. In 1932, Howden Minster's renovations were completed, and its bells chimed every 15 minutes, a tradition that continues to this day. It is popularly believed that on the night of 24 June 1954 the historian A. J. P. Taylor spent the night at the Wellington Hotel, and that he broke a water jug and a shaving mirror while staying there. However, this is untrue, as Taylor spent the night at the Bowman's Hotel, next door to the Wellington. It is also untrue that he broke the jug and mirror. Instead, he broke his wrist falling from the unusually high bed. In the latter part of the mid-20th century, two banks and two Co-Op grocery stores, the town's largest, opened, giving the people of Howden a more convenient infrastructure. The smaller of the two Co-Op stores is presently a Today's store, still owned by The Co-Operative Group. 21st century In late 2003 the Press Association (PA) completed building work on what it calls its 'Operations Centre', despite notable opposition from the residents of Howden, and it stands on the site of the old Georgian police station. This left Howden without a police presence in the town until late 2005. The building was officially opened by Prince Charles, continuing Howden's relations with the Royal family. PA has several hundred employees, most of whom have been brought into the town from Leeds and London, at this building and others in the town. The local public transport facilities have proved inadequate for many staff who commute, as much of the work is done round the clock. This has led to considerable strain being put on Howden's parking facilities, leading to the creation of a Controlled Parking Zone embracing most of