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/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. The list below is in no way meant to be comprehensive but please let us know in the comments of others that you think should be included.
Read More: What Cardiff looked like from above 10 years ago
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 also have 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 Morgans
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 - ice-skating 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 town. From Great British Burger and Wimpy, to something more special at Astey's, Louis, or even something from the Food Theatre in the long-gone Queens 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 of cars driving down St Mary Street which looks alien today.
8. Enjoy the delights of the outdoor market
Fresh fruit and 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, R.E.M, U2, Simple Minds, Dire Straits, Bon Jovi and the last person to play a concert at the Arms Park none other than Tina Turner grace 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 Olympic-sized 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. It's seen here in 1990, as the shop moved from its present 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 Queens West Shopping Centre
Not the best photograph but the glass lift in the old Queens 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 above was fun personified in a glistening metal slide. You knew you had been done 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.
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