Do you remember the good old days before the Ghost Town?

[TxRover]

5 minutes ago, approximately dave said:

Its not an Escort, my father had a Mk1 and they were sleeker and smaller than the Cortina and the grill and headlamps are different from the car shown. I don't think its a Zephyr either as its not chunky enough and I don't remember seeing many Zephs around Inverness at all, so possibly more likely a MK III Cortina it has dual headlamps which was a a thing on those cars.

 

Nah on second thoughts the cortina had 4 doors

 

7 minutes ago, alta-pete said:

Fuxake. It’s a Vauxhall fucking Viva!!

 

Ding, I like the Viva call…those chunky headlights look like duals! I’ll buy that for a dollar.

[alta-pete]

6 hours ago, approximately dave said:

Inglis Street before being pedestrianised. A few points here you can see on the right the Carlton Bar which also served as a music venue upstairs. Trying to remember if after it closed in the late 80's if it was turned into Hatchard's Bookshop. There was also an Intersport which had two floors and was excellent for football tops. Both names also gone now.

Someone had the bright idea of demolishing that unique building on the end which was painted sky blue with white on the window frames and replacing it with a boring modern block with zero personallity. Much of Inverness city center lost its character during the 70's and 80's due to replacing buildings that could have easily just had some work done on them being replaced with concrete block carbuncles. Recently there's been a trend to keep these old stone buildings as seen in Castle Street, there is some hope, but probably too little to late.

The well known and infamous to some 'Boots Corner' High Street / Inglis Street during by the looks of it from the cars the late 70's. Boots before they moved into the Eastgate shopping center used to have a fairly large space on the 1st floor for records. You could by former chart 7'' singles for 49p which I did when I had my first record player, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sparks, Skids, The Stranglers, The Beat and The Jam plus a few others all in one purchase were the first records I ever bought.

There was at that time another chemist in town who sold records, Christies who were on Queensgate just besides the entrance to the Victoria Market. The basement was used for this purpose and there was a more independent feel about the place than Boots with a preference in taste by those who worked there into playing the metal bands and the classic rock bands of the time rather than chart music. We had Woolworths on the High Street as well which sold mainly chart music and was relevant name back then and a John Menzies which opened around the time that the first Star Wars film came out, John Menzies now WH Smiths.

Imagine chemist shops selling records, but it was a thing.

In the picture are those two cars both Ford Cortinas but different 'marks'?

And in the top pic it’s a Rover SD1, a VW Polo and (I think) a Vauxhall Cavalier. 
 

Nup, it’s a Renault 18. 

Edited December 26, 2022 by alta-pete

[tongue_tied_danny]

6 minutes ago, TxRover said:

 

Ding, I like the Viva call…those chunky headlights look like duals! I’ll buy that for a dollar.

It's a Hillman Avenger.

I will stake my reputation on it.

[alta-pete]

3 minutes ago, tongue_tied_danny said:

It's a Hillman Avenger.

I will stake my reputation on it.

IT’S A VAUXHALL FUCKING VIVA!!!

Coke bottle waistline. The Avenger was a straight edge. 

[CityDave94]

4 minutes ago, TxRover said:

 

Ding, I like the Viva call…those chunky headlights look like duals! I’ll buy that for a dollar.

It did occur to me to mention Vauxhall I wrote it then deleted it.

Inglis Street Boots corner up to Academy Street was the first part pedestrianised in Inverness. We used to get boy racers doing the one way during the evenings around town from the traffic lights where the photographer is in the photo down the High Street to Bridge Street, turn right on the run along the river side and then follow the road up past the Telecom Building then right onto Academy Street and follow that road up to Eastgate turn right under the bridge and back onto the High Street and stop at the traffic lights outside the Wimpy takeaway and repeat.

[sophia]

6 minutes ago, alta-pete said:

IT’S A VAUXHALL FUCKING VIVA!!!

Coke bottle waistline. The Avenger was a straight edge. 

I agree with you wholeheartedly, apart from the fact the car at the lights is a two door mk3 Cortina complete with dual headlights 

 

Granted, it seems to have a bonnet from a Vauxhall Viva

 

Edited December 26, 2022 by sophia
having second thoughts

[Molotov]

3 hours ago, Arch Stanton said:

One record shop remains, the Record Market, when there used to be over half a dozen.

Over half a dozen? I fondly remember Listen and also Stereo 1. But I can’t recall many more proper independent record stores during the 70s and early 80s.

Listen introduced me to punk and other styles of music that I still enjoy today.

I loved that store. When did it close?

I do remember buying some records from upstairs at Boots and Woolies Possibly Menzies too?

Another killer blow for Paisley was pedestrianising the high street. 

We have lost so many decent independent stores, butchers and shops of that ilk. 

 

[TxRover]

31 minutes ago, sophia said:

I agree with you wholeheartedly, apart from the fact the car at the lights is a two door mk3 Cortina complete with dual headlights 

 

Granted, it seems to have a bonnet from a Vauxhall Viva

 

IDK, the rear light angle into the boot looks off for a Mk III.

[Sergeant Wilson]

This with spotlights attached?

 

[Cosmic Joe]

What was the turning point when car owners in the US realised that their motors looked absolutely ridiculous? 

[TxRover]

1 hour ago, Cosmic Joe said:

What was the turning point when car owners in the US realised that their motors looked absolutely ridiculous? 

Which time? The 50’s-60’s and the fins/chrome, the 70’s-early 80’s with the bland look, the late 80’s-90’s with the melted jelly bean look, or the 00’s-10’s with gangsta cool?

[King Ian]

Town centres are a wasteland, and it's sad to see.

With more online retail, large out-of-town shopping centres and retail parks available, there is simply no need for many to venture into a town centre.

I avoid them like the plague these days tbh.  One way systems, metered parking, folk spilling out pubs and groups of junkies don't exactly make it an attractive proposition.

[Cosmic Joe]

9 minutes ago, King Ian said:

Town centres are a wasteland, and it's sad to see.

With more online retail, large out-of-town shopping centres and retail parks available, there is simply no need for many to venture into a town centre.

I avoid them like the plague these days tbh.  One way systems, metered parking, folk spilling out pubs and groups of junkies don't exactly make it an attractive proposition.

What if you fancy a potato and bean pie and chocolate éclair, or need a haircut? 

[Jacksgranda]

23 minutes ago, King Ian said:

Town centres are a wasteland, and it's sad to see.

With more online retail, large out-of-town shopping centres and retail parks available, there is simply no need for many to venture into a town centre.

I avoid them like the plague these days tbh.  One way systems, metered parking, folk spilling out pubs and groups of junkies don't exactly make it an attractive proposition.

What time do you go shopping at?

[Cosmic Joe]

50 minutes ago, TxRover said:

Which time? The 50’s-60’s and the fins/chrome, the 70’s-early 80’s with the bland look, the late 80’s-90’s with the melted jelly bean look, or the 00’s-10’s with gangsta cool?

The oversized "look at me" ones in the 1970s. There must have been a pivotal Emporer's New Clothes moment that made folk think, Christ we look ridiculous. Bit liked flared breeks. 

[King Ian]

3 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

What time do you go shopping at?

If I ever have to visit somewhere in a town centre, then it'd usually be a Saturday morning Jacks.  Say 10 or so.

[King Ian]

18 minutes ago, Cosmic Joe said:

What if you fancy a potato and bean pie and chocolate éclair, or need a haircut? 

I actually cut my own hair these days.

[Cosmic Joe]

2 minutes ago, King Ian said:

I actually cut my own hair these days.

Pics or gtf

 

 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2022 by Cosmic Joe

[King Ian]

7 minutes ago, Cosmic Joe said:

Pics or gtf

 

 

 

 

Looks OK to me.

[TxRover]

20 minutes ago, Cosmic Joe said:

The oversized "look at me" ones in the 1970s. There must have been a pivotal Emporer's New Clothes moment that made folk think, Christ we look ridiculous. Bit liked flared breeks. 

That was more 60’s or very early 70’s. Went away after the 1973 gas crisis.