Continuing a look around 1980. This is of course Glasgow Road, the ruins of Stonefield Parish Church immediately apparent. The white concrete bollards, very much a temporary feature were placed that year on the left closing off Elm Street, as well as a few other side roads. It was a decision not very popular with local residents but necessary to ensure the main thoroughfares were used, especially for the arrival of ASDA, rather than creating vehicular “rabbit runs”. Councillors had their work cut out in appeasing some residents on this subject.

Beyond the Church Street phone box, you can just about see the former Masonic Halls and of course on the right, even by December 1980, the remaining shops had been served eviction notices to get “out by February 81”.

How incredibly different this all is now almost 4 decades later. Do you remember this scene?

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:

Bryan Deazeley If it wasn’t for the old Post Office building I would have struggled to recognise that picture. It’s only when you see these pictures you realise just how many lovely old buildings Blantyre has lost over the decades. So, is it a sad loss of some beautiful wee architectural gems or was it all necessary in the name of progress? I know where my minds at
Catriona Paterson Yes remember it and loved it back in those days.
Robert McLeod-Wolohan remember it very well, and they also put bollards up at the bottom of logan street as well because of asda, thats when low blantyre main street shops went into decline. mores the pity.
Anne Irvine Easily remembered. Martha Millars for your black gym shoes. Laced or slip on. Can still smell them
Rena Caullay The phone box has many memories for me. I stayed in central buildings. Four old pennies to phone to Glasgow. Oh mammy daddy I’ve given my age away, _ again
Eddie Campaigne yes the Millars lived in Ivy place
Jane Maxwell My Mum would take us to Martha Millars for our school shoes and bags. I remember the smell of leather in that shop. Then there was Batters hardware shop l loved the smell in there as well. Funny what sticks in your mind from childhood. Blantyre had every kind of shop you could want then it turned into Asdatown.
Margaret Reid Remember it well, that’s what shopping was about and you always met someone you knew giving my age away