Rewind

A typical evening at Cairo's in the mid-1990s

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The buzzing Swindon nightspot people still reminisce about today

The future of the Brunel Centre as envisaged by its then-owners in 2002 - the Town Hall is in the distance

The future of the Brunel Centre as envisaged by its then-owners in 2002 - the Town Hall is in the distance

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When we imagined a new face for Swindon's Brunel Centre

Inside the Brunel Centre nearly 30 years ago

Inside the Brunel Centre nearly 30 years ago

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What shopping in Swindon looked like in the 1970s and 80s

The Oasis Leisure Centre was still under construction - a clue to roughly when the photograph was taken

The Oasis Leisure Centre was still under construction - a clue to roughly when the photograph was taken

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Can you guess when this archive image of Swindon was taken?

Part of the large crowd gathered for the formal part of the opening of the Designer Outlet where hundreds of thousands would travel to shop till they dropped

Part of the large crowd gathered for the formal part of the opening of the Designer Outlet where hundreds of thousands would travel to shop till they dropped

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Looking back on the day town's railway works became the Swindon Designer Outlet

Another night at Kaos, possibly in the early 1990s

Another night at Kaos, possibly in the early 1990s

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Step back in time with pictures of clubbers at Route 66 and Kaos in 90s and 00s

Young revellers in 2001

Young revellers in 2001

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Amazing photos of clubbers at the Brunel Rooms in the 90s and 00s

The club first opened back in 1896

The club first opened back in 1896

Skittle matches and its own coins: 125 years of the Ashford Road Club

Margaret Thatcher became the leader of the Conservative Party in 1975. Also pictured: Barbara Castle and Clive Jenkins

Margaret Thatcher became the leader of the Conservative Party in 1975. Also pictured: Barbara Castle and Clive Jenkins

What was happening in Swindon when Margaret Thatcher became the Conservative leader?

The town’s Scouts and Guides appeared in Step Into Spring at the theatre in 2002

The town’s Scouts and Guides appeared in Step Into Spring at the theatre in 2002

Nostalgia: A glimpse at Wyvern shows of the past as hopes grow theatre will reopen soon

Local people became the undead for the comedy horror film Afternoon of the Rat Faced Zombies

Local people became the undead for the comedy horror film Afternoon of the Rat Faced Zombies

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Halloween nostalgia: A haunted fire station and local zombies

The Adver has launched a new Facebook page for fans of nostalgia

The Adver has launched a new Facebook page for fans of nostalgia

If you grew up in Swindon, join the Adver's new Facebook nostalgia group now!

Part of the large crowd gathered for the formal part of the opening of the Designer Outlet where hundreds of thousands would travel to shop till they dropped

Part of the large crowd gathered for the formal part of the opening of the Designer Outlet where hundreds of thousands would travel to shop till they dropped

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GALLERY: The day town's railway works became the Swindon Designer Outlet

In 1964 department store window toy displays were a vital part of the Christmas experience for children - and even the sight of an artificial tree decked with baubles was enough to set young pulses racing

In 1964 department store window toy displays were a vital part of the Christmas experience for children - and even the sight of an artificial tree decked with baubles was enough to set young pulses racing

Swindon festive season many years ago

The displays at Hope & Co included a small pond lined with raincoats to show how waterproof they were

The displays at Hope & Co included a small pond lined with raincoats to show how waterproof they were

Before Holmes Music in Swindon came Hope & Co

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rewind middle 16 12

RSPCA honour for Shrivenham dog rescue

The few remaining fragments of this scene include the buildings in the right foreground

The few remaining fragments of this scene include the buildings in the right foreground

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The difference of the decades in Swindon's Bridge Street

Veteran children’s TV presenter Johnny Ball - father of Zoe - came to Steam and gave young people a presentation intended to encourage an interest in science

Veteran children’s TV presenter Johnny Ball - father of Zoe - came to Steam and gave young people a presentation intended to encourage an interest in science

TV legend Johnny Ball boosted science at Swindon railway museum

This haunting photograph was taken at a parade organised a little over 37 years ago in Penhill

This haunting photograph was taken at a parade organised a little over 37 years ago in Penhill

Torchlit procession in Swindon nearly four decades ago

As the newspaper for what was still very much a railway town, the Adver always tried to be first with any railway-related news - such as the unveiling by British Rail of new uniforms

As the newspaper for what was still very much a railway town, the Adver always tried to be first with any railway-related news - such as the unveiling by British Rail of new uniforms

Christmas fun and railway fashion in the Swindon of long ago

The open spaces of Blagrove made the location ideal for this gathering of motorcyclists

The open spaces of Blagrove made the location ideal for this gathering of motorcyclists

Bikers met in Swindon and claimed their rights

Swindon Town legend John Trollope was made an MBE at Buckingham Palace, watched by his proud family

Swindon Town legend John Trollope was made an MBE at Buckingham Palace, watched by his proud family

Swindon Town legend's Buckingham Palace honour in 1978

Bath Road military convoy

Bath Road military convoy

Battle-ready troops in Swindon in 1936

Parkside Commander, raised at a Christian Malford farm, was champion bull at a Swindon Cattle Market show

Parkside Commander, raised at a Christian Malford farm, was champion bull at a Swindon Cattle Market show

A bull, a dog and the emerging face of modern Swindon

Clarence Street Euclid Street

Clarence Street Euclid Street

From demolition to desserts in Swindon

When Rover the beloved Wroughton RAF base fire station dog came down with pneumonia, her human colleagues nursed her - yes, Rover was female - back to health with brandy and milk

When Rover the beloved Wroughton RAF base fire station dog came down with pneumonia, her human colleagues nursed her - yes, Rover was female - back to health with brandy and milk

Brandy and milk for RAF Wroughton firedog Rover in 1954

Sitcom star Sally Thomsett seems to have been invited to a Swindon Viewpoint celebration in the mid-1970s

Sitcom star Sally Thomsett seems to have been invited to a Swindon Viewpoint celebration in the mid-1970s

When Sally from Man About the House came to Swindon

Vikki Loeber from Toothill prepared for an exhibition in Stroud, where the animal portrait specialist was a guest of the Cotswold Craftsmen art and craft group at the town’s museum

Vikki Loeber from Toothill prepared for an exhibition in Stroud, where the animal portrait specialist was a guest of the Cotswold Craftsmen art and craft group at the town’s museum

Big break for Swindon animal artist - and other news from 2003

Garrard’s main Swindon plant faced on to Fleming Way and extended along Newcastle Street

Garrard’s main Swindon plant faced on to Fleming Way and extended along Newcastle Street

Excellence couldn't save Swindon firm from grim 80s realities

Earl Mountbatten, last Viceroy of India, was pictured with actress and Shrivenham Army officer’s daughter Fiona Fullerton, 16, at a party ahead of the premiere of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Earl Mountbatten, last Viceroy of India, was pictured with actress and Shrivenham Army officer’s daughter Fiona Fullerton, 16, at a party ahead of the premiere of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

The Shrivenham schoolgirl who became a star and met Mountbatten

The smart clothes and flags suggest a special occasion - possibly Empire Day, which was marked on May 24

The smart clothes and flags suggest a special occasion - possibly Empire Day, which was marked on May 24

Waving the flag at a Swindon school demolished half a century ago

George the gerbil, pupils’ pet at Drove School, reached the remarkable age - for a gerbil, at least - of seven years

George the gerbil, pupils’ pet at Drove School, reached the remarkable age - for a gerbil, at least - of seven years

Swindon tales of a new supermarket and an old gerbil

Margaret Thatcher was in Downing Street and Ronald Reagan in the White House when this picture was taken

Margaret Thatcher was in Downing Street and Ronald Reagan in the White House when this picture was taken

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Through a lens and back 31 years in Royal Wootton Bassett

Princess Margaret visited Swindon to to open Townsend House in Bath Road, an education centre for young women

Princess Margaret visited Swindon to to open Townsend House in Bath Road, an education centre for young women

Swindon trip for Princess Margaret

Bulky prams and pushchairs parked outside the new Bon Marche department store about half a century ago

Bulky prams and pushchairs parked outside the new Bon Marche department store about half a century ago

Swindon's shiny new department store more than 50 years ago

Panels for the hotly-anticipated new Mini Metro were made in Swindon, and we pictured one of the cars outside the British Leyland plant in Stratton St Margaret

Panels for the hotly-anticipated new Mini Metro were made in Swindon, and we pictured one of the cars outside the British Leyland plant in Stratton St Margaret

Swindon's special new baby came with four wheels

The Oasis Leisure Centre was still under construction - a clue to roughly when the photograph was taken

The Oasis Leisure Centre was still under construction - a clue to roughly when the photograph was taken

Swindon only just recognisable in 1970s image

We would be interested to hear from Tom Kilminster - the van had a £16,000 price tag four years ago

We would be interested to hear from Tom Kilminster - the van had a £16,000 price tag four years ago

Car was a relic of the past even half a century ago

Ray Bowen was reunited with a medal commemorating his late uncle, who died in World War One. The new owners of his childhood home in Purton found it above a ceiling during renovations

Ray Bowen was reunited with a medal commemorating his late uncle, who died in World War One. The new owners of his childhood home in Purton found it above a ceiling during renovations

A truly astonishing coincidence in Swindon

Sue Hooper from Swindon worked for South West Gas. Her roles included testing clients’ cookers for possible defects by visiting them and making anything from a cake to an entire meal

Sue Hooper from Swindon worked for South West Gas. Her roles included testing clients’ cookers for possible defects by visiting them and making anything from a cake to an entire meal

Sue from Swindon was sent to make sure service was a gas

There is no information in our archive about the visit other than a note giving a date and a brief description

There is no information in our archive about the visit other than a note giving a date and a brief description

The day a young Japanese princess came to see the Avebury stones

Drove Vets in Croft Road received seven abandoned or stray cats in the space of 10 days. The usual figure was two a month but it was thought that the credit crunch made owners desperate

Drove Vets in Croft Road received seven abandoned or stray cats in the space of 10 days. The usual figure was two a month but it was thought that the credit crunch made owners desperate

Swindon's feline fallout of a finance fiasco

At the edge of the image we can just see part of the building which eventually became Swindon Arts Centre

At the edge of the image we can just see part of the building which eventually became Swindon Arts Centre

From grocers' to sex shop to beloved Swindon pub

Ann Evans was kept busy as landlady of the Rodbourne Arms, but still found time to become Swindon’s first official town crier - undaunted by male dominance of the trade

Ann Evans was kept busy as landlady of the Rodbourne Arms, but still found time to become Swindon’s first official town crier - undaunted by male dominance of the trade

Swindon had one of Britain's first female town criers

Manchester House was built at a time when Swindon was a market town and railways were undreamed of

Manchester House was built at a time when Swindon was a market town and railways were undreamed of

A building first seen in 1700 and gone since 1964

Adver the week when World War Two began

Adver the week when World War Two began

Putting on a brave face 80 years ago as World War Two loomed

Bathampton Street 1979

Bathampton Street 1979

1970s fashions in a spruced-up Swindon Railway Village

Oscar-winner Richard Williams was happy to meet fans when his jazz sextet played a Swindon Pizza Express

Oscar-winner Richard Williams was happy to meet fans when his jazz sextet played a Swindon Pizza Express

The night a triple Oscar winner played jazz in Swindon

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rewind middle 29 8 19

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Dramatic hanging outside a Swindon theatre

Plastic owls fixed to a bridge near Debenhams were intended to deter pigeons. Not all pigeons received the memo

Plastic owls fixed to a bridge near Debenhams were intended to deter pigeons. Not all pigeons received the memo

Canny pigeons were wise to plastic owls

The future of the Brunel Centre as envisaged by its then-owners in 2002 - the Town Hall is in the distance

The future of the Brunel Centre as envisaged by its then-owners in 2002 - the Town Hall is in the distance

When we imagined a new face for Swindon's Brunel Centre

Rev Douglas Walker of St Peter’s Church in Penhill returned from a family holiday in France with a doughnut maker - and won himself plenty of happy customers at the church’s summer fete

Rev Douglas Walker of St Peter’s Church in Penhill returned from a family holiday in France with a doughnut maker - and won himself plenty of happy customers at the church’s summer fete

Late summer in Swindon in Silver Jubilee year

The GWR holiday accommodation was fine but the railway line was perhaps a little too close for comfort

The GWR holiday accommodation was fine but the railway line was perhaps a little too close for comfort

All aboard the static railway carriage for a camping trip

Wyvern Theatre mascot Willy the Wyvern, left, and the Adver’s Alfie the Alligator were pictured near the theatre during a promotional event for the arts scene in Swindon

Wyvern Theatre mascot Willy the Wyvern, left, and the Adver’s Alfie the Alligator were pictured near the theatre during a promotional event for the arts scene in Swindon

Sunshine and a meeting of mascots 13 years ago in Swindon