Birmingham in the 80s: The life and times of Brummies in the 1980s in 33 pictures

The 80s were a decade like no other in Birmingham - from the new and trendy nightlife scene opening up to the sub-cultures emerging that have been a long-standing feature of Birmingham ever since.

It was a glamorous and glitzy decade with Yuppies and New Romantics - but it was also a time of great civil unrest for Birmingham with the Handsworth Riots and huge job losses.

Industries were dying out with Birmingham’s car industry hit. Margaret Thatcher came to power, and for many Brummies it was a final nail in the coffin.

The recession of the early 1980s, however, saw Birmingham’s economy collapse. The city itself lost 200,000 jobs between 1971 and 1981, with the losses concentrated in the manufacturing sector; relative earnings in the West Midlands went from being the highest in Britain in 1970 to the lowest in 1983. By 1982 the city’s unemployment rate approached 20%.

Despite the anxiety, uncertainty and righteous anger - there were some good times as well which are still remembered today, especially those Rum Runner parties on Broad Street.

There was the SuperPrix and the construction of the International Convention Centre, the coldest ever winter since 1908, and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Take a look back at life in 1980s Birmingham through these 33 fascinating photos: