Back in 1981, there was plenty of change in the city of Edinburgh as the nation settled into an economically uncertain new decade.
A number of city institutions – among them the RW Forsyth department store on Princes Street, the Ritz Cinema on Rodney Street and jewellers Abbott of Greyfriars, sadly closed their doors. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom, as our photos show.
Take a look through our picture gallery to see 18 snapshots of Edinburgh in 1981.
17. Norman MacCaig, 1981
Norman MacCaig (1910-1996) was one of the major Scottish poets of the twentieth century. Pictured here beside a portrait of himself at the National Portrait Gallery, Queen Street, Edinburgh. September 1981. Photo: Joe Steele
18. Scotland v Australia 1981
Team-mate Roy Laidlaw goes after the ball passed out by Jim Calder (no 9) during the Scotland v Australia international rugby match at Murrayfield in December 1981. The final score was 24-15 for Scotland. Photo: Alan Ledgerwood Bill Stout