In the early 1980s, several traditional and local industries were declining and many of them were closed under the radical economic restructuring often known as Thatcherism. The traffic on Port of Manchester was declined and eventually, the port closed in 1982. However, the city was also developed rapidly in the 1980s. On November 5, 1980, Manchester became a nuclear-free city. It was a progressive gesture but largely symbolic.
The city center was contracted and it became a shadow of its nineteenth-century self. The abandoned Central Station was converted into the Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre (now Manchester Central) in 1982. The Museum of Science and Industry opened in 1983 and Castlefield was brought to life. The Jewish Museum opened in 1984 and The Chinese Arts Centre was founded in 1986. The Central Manchester Development Corporation was created in 1988 to renovate former warehouse areas and canal basins.
The 1980s was an auspicious period for Manchester railways. The Woodhead Line was closed in 1981. Many new and low-cost stations were opened including Flowery Field, Hag Fold, and Ryder Brow.
Here below are some amazing photos from the 1980s that will take you back to old Manchester. Also check, how Manchester looked like in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1990s.
