Mercifully, 1984 didn’t turn out to be quite as bleak as George Orwell predicted in his famous dystopian novel – but half a decade into the Thatcher era and unemployment was sky high in the UK.
In Edinburgh, Waverley Market and Cameron Toll shopping centres opened their doors, while the city had a visit from a man who would turn out to be the last ever leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev.
Take a look through our photo gallery to see what Edinbugh life was like back in 1984.
17. Cameron Toll shopping centre 1984
Cameron Toll shopping centre in Edinburgh, nearing completion in October 1984. Photo: Hamish Campbell
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