Southampton, 1982 

People may also be interested in this; a motorcycle ride around West End, also in the '80s: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_fBHl9G_nXA.html

It’s amazing how quiet Southampton is in old videos, loved growing up in Southampton in the 90s it’s really sad to see how it is now

Back in the days when a Sunday meant a proper day off for everyone !

After a revisit to this really interesting video, I was struck at how much Southampton has deteriorated. It’s crowded and dirty, congested and ill thought-out. It looked cleaner and brighter, clearer and with a greater diversity of retail outlets. It’s true that we don’t know what we have until it’s gone.

I was born in Southampton in 1981. I'm so glad we have video's like this, not many people used to go around filming like they do today with their camera phones etc so it's important to have footage like this. I noticed alots changed around the civic centre area, there are gardens out the front which have never been there while I've been alive. The office block that I think used to be scandia , asda and the Marlands shopping centre were yet to be built . Didn't recognise it at first!!

You don't realise how wrecked the town is until you watch a video like this! Great video! Thanks for sharing

Lovely to see Southampton from the 80’s so many memories.

Born in Southampton 1982, and still live here. Brought back a flood of childhood memories. He drives adjacent to St Michaels square - where I was probably in a cot crying or summit. What a beautiful city it was, and i think, still is.

I was 19 when this was filmed and living in Hedge End & working in Woolston. In fact, my time in Southampton spans 1963 to 1992 and I've not lived there for 30 years and rarely visit. Generations of my family were Southampton people. Brings back memories and I seem to remember the arrival of wine bars and the first McDonalds around this time. To be fair, much of Southampton's character was lost 42 years previously in the Blitz. Of the 57 air raids, by far the worst were on 23 and 30 November and 1 December 1940 and these attacks are generally referred to as "Southampton's Blitz". My late Grandfather told me he walked from above bar to below bar and was horrified by the destruction. Cheap and characterless post-war building followed. I'd like to have seen the city prior to 1940 and in the heyday of the Great liners (not to say that the great liners have not returned in recent decades). All in all, bitter sweet.

This is the Southampton of my childhood. My Dad worked at the Echo and every Christmas from circa 1976 to 1982, I would climb the stairs via the rear entrance, to ascend to the staff canteen and take part in the staff childrens' Christmas party.

I was ten when this was filmed . I remember Town looking like this very clearly in my mind .Would pop in early every Saturday morning to spent my pocket money at Pastimes in East street . Thanks for posting .

To think, that little 6 year old boy at the 14:46 mark could have been me, literally gave me goosebumps. Seeing that little white Mini parked on the right facing forward was where Mum used to park her little white Mini, and we went there maybe once every week. Strange old life it is.

Wow this was filmed 12 years before I was even born. I have lived in Southampton all my life it’s changed so much over the years.

Brings back a lot of memories. Much prefer the city now. It was a bit grim down at the bottom of high street and around past South Western House where I started working in 1981. Now I often rent a flat on Briton street (which looks virtually derelict in that video) when I come to visit Mum and Dad and sit on the balcony thinking ..this place has really improved. Obviously many residents don’t share that view 😄 and I can see some of the issues of course, but I love my second city even more than ever now.

Thank you for posting this wonderful video, Terrie... I was 10 at the time. Happy memories. And what a good motor too.

I was 8 and a half years old, when this was filmed. Nice bit of nostalgia, remembering how it was. Would've been nice to see the old bus station in town. I lived in the painted wagon pub in 1986, next to the civic centre and my dad's best mate had the station pub, obviously at the old bus station. Our life is but a vapour, Amen.

I once read a youtube comment saying 'RU-vid is the closest thing we have to a time machine' He's right, I live just outside of Southampton and travel there accordingly, I know this route and to see it over 40 years ago is just strange, to say the least.. what a time we live in and I appreciate it.

Great memories, as a long time resident of Southampton and a Triumph owner back then & now with a Sprint & Stag this takes me right back... Thanks for sharing, Dave.

This is amazing. I was born in 81 so I would of been a baby when this was filmed. Seeing Southampton then and how much has changed in 40 years is incredible. I love watching this great piece of nostalgia. Maybe you should do exactly the same drive and film in 2022 and do a 40 year comparison. :-)

This is brilliant, I’ve lived in Southampton all my life and born in 82 so fascinating to see how it was when I was born. Used to skateboard a lot in the 90’s and cab remember it being this quiet due to no shops open a Sunday, better times. Thanks for posting great piece of footage

i miss those days a lot. i'm very grateful that you took the time to film this. i remember it all well. thank you

Fantastic to see Southampton from over 30 years ago. So much has changed and so much the same. I remember Currys and Huckleberrys from the Bargate roundabout. Nice to see the old junction opposite the Dolphin Hotel which now qualifies for the official title of "junction from Hell". Who thought that one up? It's ridiculous and dangerous. Much better in the old days. Thank you very much for posting.

Great Footage, reminds me of shopping at East St.

That was brilliant I enjoyed it very much and brings back so many memories, thank you for sharing.

@9:27 Huckleberry's 😎😎👍. Had my first burger in n there. Had a milkshake and took of the lid as it was so thick and I couldn't get it through the straw. I proceeded to get my face covered in my entire milkshake 😳😆. Before we had McDonald's on the other corner.

Excellent video I've been transported back to my late teens, thank you for sharing!!

Fantastic video. I was last in So'ton in 1981, so this is how I last saw it. Thank you

Excellent took me back as if I was driving around myself ! loved seeing the cars of the day as well . Cant comment on if things are better or worse now as I left Southampton around that time myself !

I’m too young to remember many things before they changed, this video is excellent

Nice video, thanks for sharing

Lived in Southampton in the mid 60s to early 70s....this was taken before the City Centre lost all it's character.

The green roof of central swimming baths as you pan right at the end.

Brilliant. Thank you posting!

Thanks for the film..

wow ! that was fantastic. it shows all the places I was curious about. I would love to see footage of the pirelli site and what the west quay rd looked like. but well done very good film. I used to go to mayflower park a lot as a kid. and still go there now with my kids.

Nice tour !! I remember when traffic used to travel along High Street where the pedestrianised part is now. There was a Woolworth's there with a cafe upstairs. It's in that cafe where I learned to tie my shoe laces for the first time 😊

Oh the old red and white double deckers, memories.

Just saw your video posted in the Daily Echo today. Thanks alot, used to live in B'mth then, often in Southampton for a days drive I love old vids from back then, particularly because of the cars. Practically all British cars on the road back then, thanks thatcher ***### Went through cars like noodles back then, could pickup a good used for under a week's wages. Austins, Rovers, Hillmans, Fords, Bedfords, Leylands...if I'd only I'd kept a couple of those :) Orange austin was doing well outpacing your triumph beginning of vid

Amazing how familiar it all looks

i have alot of good memories in Southampton.

Great stuff! Must have been a Sunday!!

Southampton in the 70s and early 80s had fresh air relaxed parking and quiet roads now its a polluted worn out pit of a city..

The guy behind the camera is John Grove. Went on to have a career as a sound recordist.

Great video! Looks a lot better nowadays, in my opinion. :)

Amazing

Amazing video, a lot has changed a lot is the same!

Who remembers the top rank?with DJ Johnny diamond.

I was born in Southampton my dad grow up there

Looks like early Spring-March? Thanks for posting it.

Around 70 to 80% same as today in 2020. In 1982 when i was 2 years old baby

Weird to think I was probably only a couple of miles away when this was filmed.

back in the days when you could drive around Southampton !

I was born in Southampton in 1982

loved it

my uncle is a professor at the university of Southampton

Southampton when it was a nice place,now just a dump.

Look at the lack of cars - jeez, doesn't bode well for the future!

Nice one

When did they remove the gates to mayflower park!

Back in the days when petrol was cheap so you could just go for an aimless drive.

You should do another video today like a comparison video

I had the same, Reg OOW 1M,

life is a vapour

foyes corner at beginning ,,,,just spotted clarence stores still there now ..st marks school demolished this year and being rebuilt ,forepost hill before turning into commercial rd now full of houses..bus depot and arundel towers gone.......im just 15 minutes in loving it but not liking it too

I was born in 2003 so obvs I don't remember this duh. But I found It fascinating on the end of Commercial Road by the mayflower, there were houses. Now it's taken up by the Co-op and student housing

It’s empty, devoid of life and looks extremely planned I think the town has improved since then!