Peter Kay will soon be launching his first tour in 12 years which includes dates in Cardiff but since the Bolton funnyman last played in the Welsh capital a lot has changed here.
Back in 2010 we hadn't even heard of the word 'Brexit' and since then, the UK has had five Prime Ministers - three in the last few months alone - Wales has managed to reach the semi finals in the Euros and reality TV shows like Love Island and Married At First Sight have come to prominence.
But what about the city of Cardiff - how has that changed during the last 12 years? Quite a bit. Here we go through the major changes that the capital has seen since Kay last made us laugh here...
Read More: Peter Kay has announced his return to stand-up comedy with his first live tour in 12 years
Central Square
One of the biggest changes to Cardiff since Kay last toured is the transformation of Central Square. What used to greet passengers alighting at Cardiff Central Station was a bus station that had seen better days, as well as an office block and some little shops.
While the modernised look of the current Central Square is pleasing to the eye, the quirky charm of what once was has been lost forever. The square is now also home to BBC Wales with the broadcasting giant moving there in 2019. Its old home in Llandaff has since been demolished.
The view across Wood Street has also changed considerably with St David's House being torn down and in its place now stands the new HMRC building, outside which you can see the tribute to Betty Campbell, the first statue of a real, named Welsh woman in Wales.
The hot topic on everyone's lips regarding Central Square continues to be the bus station, which was supposed to be in operation back in 2017 but is still to be opened.
Guildford Crescent
One of the most shocking planning decisions ever made in Cardiff saw Guildford Crescent - which is just a stone's throw away from the International Arena - demolished and all that remains is the historic facades of Gwdihŵ along with the former Madeira and Thai House restaurants.
The landlords of the buildings originally applied for demolition at the end of 2018 and, within nine months, the buildings were knocked down with only the facades remaining.
They were demolished despite a fierce campaign opposing the plans, which included a 20,000-name petition and a protest march. The decision was met with outrage from campaigners, who argued that the street's demolition would mean the loss of one of the only remaining parts of "old Cardiff" left in the capital.
Roath Lock Studios
In 2011, the BBC moved the production of their mainstay shows such as Doctor Who, Casualty, and Pobol Y Cwm to their brand new Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff Bay.
While the corporation's more recent move to Central Square saw the media-led output such as its news and radio aspect leave its previous home at Broadcasting House, Llandaff, the BBC had already moved the Pobol Y Cwm sets to the new studios. Joining them from the Bristol studios was the sets of Casualty, and both shows have been made down Cardiff Bay ever since.
Many other shows have been filmed at Roath Lock Studios such as Wizards Vs Aliens, the Doctor Who spin-off Class, A Midsummer Night's Dream, as well as the 2014 adaptation of Under Milk Wood which featured many notable Welsh talents such as Michael Sheen, Sir Tom Jones, and many more.
The studios have contributed to a massive change in the Cardiff Bay skyline and were a welcome sight compared to the old docklands which stood there before.
Name changes in the capital
Over the last 12 years, many places have changed their names - even the venue where Kay performed, and is once again playing, has been called something else in the intervening years.
The Cardiff International Arena changed its name in March 2011 to the Motorpoint Arena, due to sponsorship naming rights. However, in September this year, the venue reverted back to its original moniker of the Cardiff International Arena.
Another venue that has seen some big changes is the old Millennium Stadium, which is now known as the Principality Stadium, although most people still called it the Millennium Stadium.
Not a venue this time, or even in Cardiff, but when Kay last came to the capital he would have had to pay around £5.50 to cross the then-titled Second Severn Crossing bridge to Wales.
Even that bridge was renamed controversially in 2018 to The Prince of Wales Bridge, but since the end of the same year, the tolls were scrapped, so swings and roundabouts and all that.
Bars and Restaurants
Cardiff's nightlife has also seen some big changes with many pubs and club opening and closing in the last 12 years.
Pub/club wise we have seen the likes of the Millennium Music Hall close as well as the Bierkeller that opened in its place at the Millennium/Stadium Plaza on Wood Street.
One of the biggest losses to the Cardiff eatery scene was the closure of Cardiff's much-loved and missed Louis Restaurant on St Mary Street, which closed unexpectedly in 2017.
I wonder if they didn't see that garlic gread was the future as Mr Kay once proclaimed.
Shopping
Many shops have come and gone over the last few years, especially with the real impact of the pandemic now rearing its ugly head.
The big names that have fallen by the retail wayside are the likes of British Home Stores/BHS, which was sold in March 2015 for just £1, after many failed attempts to save it in 2016. entered administration.
The same outcome befell another well-renowned department store - this time it was the turn of Debenhams to fall foul of dwindling sales. The company eventually closed all of its stores in May 2021.
Love nostalgia? Have the best articles emailed to you for free with our nostalgia newsletter. Click here to see all the WalesOnline newsletters.
