15 things you could do in 1980s Cardiff that you can't do now
EVEN though we tend to look back with rose-tinted glasses on the past and especially the decade that saw the birth of Channel 4 and S4C, the Miners’ Strike, the Falklands war and the infamous hand of god by Maradona, Cardiff in the ’80s was truly something special. Here we take a look back at some of the things that you can no longer do or go to in Cardiff.
We all loved to shop in the city centre during the ’80s with great shops like Woolworths, British Home Stores, Chelsea Girl, C&A and so much more.
1. Catch a film in Queen Street There was something special in going to one of Queen Street’s many cinemas to catch the most recent blockbuster movie.
You had your pick of cinemas and screens with ABC, Odeon and Cannon.
Of course, now we’ve only got the Premiere Cinema in the Capitol Centre compared to what we had – it’s good but not as good as it was.
2. Shopping at Alders, Debenhams and David Morgan Nothing was quite like shopping with your parents in the city centre at some of the biggest department stores around.
And Cardiff had it fair share of some great places to shop, even now, but in the ’80s it was the place to go.
3. Get the latest toys in Toys ’R’
Us If you were a child in or around the ’80s then it is pretty certain that you know the lyrics of the Toys R Us advert by heart. You know the one – it went: “There’s a magical place, We’re on our way there, With toys in their millions, All under one roof – It’s Called Toys ’R’ Us!”
Even just writing that brings a warm sense of nostalgia over me. And the best part was the Cardiff store opened in the middle of the decade around September 1985.
The Cardiff store was one of the best and as a child, it felt like it went on forever.
4. Have a skate on the ice in the city centre What’s that you say – iceskating in the city centre, all year round? If only we could go back to having an ice rink in the middle of the city centre then everything would be one step towards happiness.
There was something special about going to the ice rink and skating on the ice, the danger, the thrill and best of all – spending time with your friends. No-one can take those feeling from you.
Not only that but going to a few big concerts there helped as well as supporting the Cardiff Devils.
5. Grab a bite to eat at Wimpy, Astey’s, Louis, or Great British Burger After a morning or full day shopping, hanging around or ice-skating with your friends, there were plenty of places to grab a bite to eat in the city. From the Great British Burger and Wimpy, to something more special at Astey’s, Louis, or even something from the Food Theatre in the long-gone Queen’s West Shopping Centre, you were spoilt for choice.
6. Get something for your car or bike at Halfords How great was it that you could work in the city centre and in your lunchtime pick up something for your car or bike in the city centre? Back in the ’80s, you didn’t have to go to specialist shops or out-of-town retail parks to get an accessory that you needed.
It was a great one-stop shop, especially if you needed a puncture repair kit on your lunch break to let you fix your tyres before the commute home later that night.
7. Drive both ways down St Mary Street While pedestrianisation is
a good thing, I can’t help but think that sometimes it can hinder footfall and trade for some shops. Especially with the cost of parking in the city centre today.
But look at this picture, below, of cars driving down St Mary Street which looks alien today.
8. Enjoy the delights of the outdoor market Fresh fruit ’n’ veg never tasted better than from Cardiff’s open-air market. I still like to buy my fruit and veg from the market but I really do miss the market that was situated on Barrack Lane.
It was like a sideway into fruit heaven, although sometimes the smell from the public toilets not far from the stalls didn’t help.
9. See a big concert at the Cardiff Arms Park like Jacko or Bowie Yes, I know we’ve got the marvellous Principality Stadium now, but the history of the old National Stadium of Wales – Cardiff Arms Park – was as much of a draw as the rock stars that played there.
It saw the likes of David Bowie, Michael Jackson, REM, U2, Simple Minds, Dire Straits, Bon Jovi and the last person to play a concert at the Arms Park – none other than Tina Turner who graced the stage back in July 1996.
10. See and hear the best music at Top Rank/Ritzys/the Rich Bitch Club/Nero’s Cardiff has always been a fantastic place to see and enjoy live music and back in the ’80s there was a plethora of music venues that catered to whatever music you loved and more. From the alternative clubs like Ritzys and The Rich Bitch Club to the more mainstream at the Top Rank – Cardiff had it all.
11. Go for a swim in an Olympicsized pool right in the city centre Built as the centrepiece of the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, the Wales Empire Pool was a great place to swim in the city centre up until it closed in 1998.
It was demolished to make way for the Millennium Stadium and when it closed Cardiff suffered a loss of not only a swimming pool but a slice of history as well. The Empire pool diving boards remain a bragging right for those who had the courage to dive from them.
12. Be scared of the bear on St Mary Street The tobacconist shop on St Mary Street was also referred to as the “Bear Shop” because of the large stuffed bear called Bruno who resides there, reputed to be 200 years old.
Bruno was a feature in the tobacconists’ Lewis Darbey & Co. The shop moved from its previous site where it had been for 120 years to new premises in the Wyndham Arcade opposite.
Were you one of the children scared by the bear?
13. Ride the glass lift at the Queen’s West Shopping Centre The glass lift in the old Queen’s West Shopping Centre was a great place to go up high and see Cardiff like never before.
This wasn’t the only glass lift you could enjoy though, there was a similar one in the Capitol Shopping Centre as well, although that opened in 1990.
14. Buy an Echo from a street vendor If quizzed on what were the main sights and sounds from Cardiff in the ’80s, one of the top would no doubt be a street vendor shouting ‘ECHO, come and get your ECHO!’
They were everywhere back then. I remember counting at least 10 from getting off the station at Queens Street to the castle.
It seems to me that Cardiff is a lot quieter without them.
15. The big slide in Roath Park before health and safety came in While there is still a big slide at Roath Park, it is nothing like the one from the ’70s and ’80s.
The bumps were something to look forward to and you never knew if you were going to make it safely down.
The slide that is there now is just a straight fun and soul-less slide – whereas the one pictured left was fun personified in a glistening metal slide.
You knew you were having fun when you eventually reached the bottom, and you couldn’t wait to go back up and wait your turn for one more ride.
Those were the days.