Inverness is often rated as one of the happiest places to live in Scotland.
It’s an undoubted tourist mecca, with the Highland capital having just been named one of the top 16 city breaks in Europe by travel website, Time Out.
Proud though they might be to call themselves Invernessians, slightly older residents would be the first to admit that for them the shine has gone off the Highland capital in recent decades.
Monstrosities
1960s building monstrosities, the razing of cherished old buildings and the gradual impoverishment of the town centre – the things that have hurt so many city centres really rankle with Invernessians.
They remember days when the town was buzzing, full of shops, cafes, theatres, cinemas, with a lively social calendar full of entertainment for all.
Here’s Union Street in 1964.
And hordes of shoppers are seen here crossing the corner of Castle Street and the High Street in 1975.
The High Street wasn’t pedestrianised then, which added to the bustle.
The town was full of shops
As Charles Bannerman writes in his book Made in Inverness, “the town centre was full of shops including two Camerons, both outfitters… Coopers with its unique old fashioned grocer’s aroma… ‘Hughie Prams’ in the Queensgate Market Arcade, a wonderland of toys, and a visit always to be cherished.”
Do your remember these lost Inverness institutions?
Inverness shows its happy face
Here, traffic warden, James Owen took on extra duties in 1980 when his grandson David McKervail planted a particularly vigorous sunflower seed in his Druid Road back garden.
The seed soared to 11ft and Mr Owens had to climb the ladder each day to check its height for young David.
As the P&J reported: “Mind you he’s not the only traffic warden to have to take steps to deal with a character who hangs around too long.”
And the kids pushed the boundaries
In 1989 youngsters found a spectacular but dangerous way to beat the heat, provoking police warnings to cool it.
A police spokesman claimed the youngsters were risking their lives by leaping from the 30ft Generals Well suspension bridge over the River Ness into shallow water.
A canine officer first
In 1968, Sandy, an Inverness Burgh Police canine office made history when he became the first Scottish police dog to go on air patrol.
After circling Inverness in a police helicopter for 15 minutes Sandy landed at Burgh Park, close by the River Ness, to be greeted by a battery of news photographers.
His handler, Constable Dan Mackenzie, said “He was quite composed, despite the noise of the engine. He does not seem to mind flying at all.”
City of bridges
Bridges are an important feature in Inverness and can bring their own drama.
In this incident in February 1989, part of the railway bridge collapsed, leaving the line hanging unsupported.
Crowds flocked to witness the line finally collapse into the water.
Entertainments were aplenty
Inverness had plenty of cinemas, still much missed.
La Scala, Empire, Playhouse, Palace – the mere mention brings waves of nostalgia to those who spent many happy hours with family and friends in front of the magical big screen.
Circuses came to town regularly, enabling young Invernessians to get up close to some of the patient animals.
Here, Ian Plent, 11, tackles a mammoth brush and scrub job as he grooms Lily, a 12-year-old African elephant, in Bught Park at the Chipperfield Circus in 1992.
Making their own entertainment
And the BMX kids were alright as they raced around Bught Park on a sweltering day in the summer of 1988.
Eden Court Theatre recruited local girls to promote their panto, Babes in the Wood, in 1979.
In response to an ad in the P&J, Sonya Leite; Janis Hammond, Julie Ann Fullarton and Hilary Cromie were recruited for the job by the theatre, along with some old-fashioned bikes, also volunteered by the public.
And Invernessians have never been backwards at coming forwards on the dance floor, with many generations going through the town’s busy dance schools.
Showing off trophies they won at the All-Scotland Solo Disco competition in 1993 are left, Kirsteen Morrison (13) who won the under-14 competition, Ashley Maciver and Louise Cumming (both 14), winners of the rock ‘n’ roll international pairs competition, and Diane MacBean (16), disco adult solo winner.
They were pupils of the Jenny Duncan School of Dancing.
The long and winding road
It wasn’t scheduled, but John and Yoko made a quick stop at Inverness airport in 1969 after their road accident in Sutherland.
Lennon was known to be a bad driver and had rarely been behind the wheel since passing his test in 1965.
He was terrible at navigating roads and often failed to notice other traffic.
Lennon panicked
On this occasion, Lennon panicked after spotting a foreign tourist driving towards him.
He lost control of his Austin Maxi, driving it into a roadside ditch causing minor injuries to himself, Yoko, her daughter Kyoko and his son Julian.
As they changed from helicopter to plane at Dalcross, John borrowed Yoko’s tam-o-shanter style hat to screen his lopsided beard, trimmed on one side for treatment of his injuries.
The arrival of the Floral Hall
It’s taken for granted now, but the Bught Floral Hall opened less than thirty years ago.
Here then Inverness Provost William Fraser and guests admire the new hall at its opening in May 1993.
The glasshouse was state of the art at the time, with auto-screening and ventilation, and was vaunted as a major attraction for visitors and horticultural enthusiasts.
“The hall is a blooming good example of how local cooperation can link with EEC funding (£100,000) to give an attraction that will be an important part of the Bught Leisure Park overall concept,” reported the P&J.
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