Footage from 1986 offers a rare look at Liverpool city centre before major redevelopments reshaped the area. The video, originally shared by the ECHO in 2016, captures a car journey through streets that look very different today.
Journey through the city
The footage, posted on YouTube by kevmail, follows a drive from Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral through the city centre, continuing towards Park Road in Toxteth. The journey passes along Berry Street, with a brief stop at traffic lights near the Bombed Out Church and the Cabin Club.
The car then passes Lewis's department store on Renshaw Street before travelling along Hanover Street, years before Liverpool ONE transformed the area. The old ELS furniture store is visible on the left, roughly where Tesco stands today.
Everyday life in the 1980s
Beyond the streets themselves, the footage captures everyday life in the city during the 1980s. Pedestrians are seen going about their day, with the filmmaker zooming in to highlight the hairstyles and fashions of the era.
For Liverpudlians watching today, the most striking sights are likely the familiar parts of the city that have changed beyond recognition over the past 40 years.
