1980s Nottingham | Working class Nottingham | Poverty | 1980s UK | Witness | 1988

Some clips taken from Thames Televisions 'Witness' series, of life in the English City of Nottingham.
First shown: 17/01/1988
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Quote: VT39319

[@jasonbarnes957]

Ahhh the clink of milk bottles in morning, great sound memory just takes you back, yes me duck I am from Nottingham and Proud.

[@Thepalpatineboys77]

We had milk in chesterfield too you know 😂

[@th8257]

This is a useful corrective to people who mis-remember the 80s as some kind of golden era. A lot of the UK was like this, it wasn't just Nottingham. Grey, depressing, awful poverty.

[@walterblock5082]

Has only gotten worse.

[@allangreenley9901]

Totally agree with you.. That's how it was in most cities

[@sammccormick9109]

I think it’s largely the fashion,music & pop culture people think was the golden age of the 80’s

[@forthrightgambitia1032]

@@sammccormick9109 And because the kind of people posting on youtube videos were more likely to have grown up in a comfortable suburb.

[@belstar1128]

This looks similar to modern times

[@vict0rtayl0r]

I remember Nottingham 1988 very well, and it was fantastic! Admittedly I was incredibly stoned.

[@markjohn4802]

Didn't it go on the slide in the early 90's, you could buy a woman for £5

[@vict0rtayl0r]

@@markjohn4802 Bargain! I wouldn't know about the price of women as I had a live-in girlfriend by the early 90s, who was very nice, and instrumental in my still being stoned and therefore I had other interests. Music-wise it definitely went on the slide...but of course, it did everywhere.

[@cx5954]

I’m not a feminist, I’m acc a man but please don’t treat women as objects you can buy😐

[@bankruptbritain6103]

@@cx5954 can I buy your wife?

[@MM-lh8kj]

@@cx5954 fuck off, simp

[@Richard_Jones]

Lived nearby in the 80's and I remember it was a bit rough. That said, close up shots of brick walls, fences, pavements and - admittedly, ratrher a lot of - dog poo, can be taken anywhere and it would look grim.

[@leeludlowart237]

Even though times were hard for our family financially we were all much happier then.

[@leeludlowart237]

david nearly mate. No one says “aye “ in Nottingham. That’s a Yorkshire thing. You could have said “ahhhh yeah.” That would have worked.

[@GandalfTheGay98]

@@leeludlowart237 I do

[@MsCharlieBrown78]

same!

[@Havanacuba1985]

We were better off in the 70s ,til thatcher got in ,then everything just went to utter shite

[@TheJamesvgnr]

I worked for the City Council on Nottingham's streets,during the Eighties.Some rough holes,yes,but not as bad as that film made out.The worst area was Broxtowe Estate,and that was more to do with some rough families living there, as the housing stock was actually qute good!

[@Twistedviolets]

Broxtowe hasn’t changed or the families that live there 😂

[@Nottsboy24]

The old 1980s Nottingham! a lot has changed since then.....Nottingham and the surrounding area's have new housing, apartments, hotels and office blocks going up a lot now. I'm very proud of my home town of Nottingham ☺👌

[@sallymander7863]

I come from Nottingham but left when I was 9 (quite a while ago), this makes me so sad, I still have affection for the place. I have lived in a small market town called in Evesham for most of my life, it too has rough areas. It's not just Nottingham. ☹️

[@MizMite2002]

Born there, but grew up in Toronto. looking at this, I was so fortunate to get out.

[@The1SilverShadow]

Thought you said you still have an infection from Nottingham...thatl be right me duck

[@sandeepk4093]

Ey up, me duck ...

[@nicck]

No graffiti. Makes a huge difference

[@vtecpreludevtec]

No mosques

[@vtecpreludevtec]

No I’m not,islam is not a race

[@desfullerton8239]

@@vtecpreludevtec yes you are, whatever it is

[@ACertainWay]

Bet you're the same person queuing up to take a picture of banksys art though 😂

[@kurttite6099]

This isn't the Nottingham I know, where's all the teenage mum's and knife crime? 🤔

[@sarahfields288]

That came later lol

[@waltersng1065]

Thats now lmao

Shottingham fam

[@jeff4362]

Whenever people comment about London's crime and blaming "multiculturalism", I show them places like Nottingham, Blackpool and Glasgow.

[@stevenhewes1990]

@@jeff4362 nottingham had a rise in violent crime in conjunction with a rise in multiculturalism.

[@ollydawson3792]

Living near forest fields as a student, its sad to see that not much has changed, in terms of deprevation, for the people in the area since the 80s

[@Gatsu289]

Born and raised in Forest fields, its really not that bad. Hyson Green and Radford suffer alot more.

[@madmike1708]

​@@Gatsu289 Tbf St Ann's is the worst imo. With it being kinda 'gang land' and high violent crime.

[@Gatsu289]

@@madmike1708 I guess you’re kinda right. I think St Ann’s crime mostly revolves around stabbings and shootings between lads who know eachother. While radford etc theres alot of crazy crackheads and alcoholics causing mayhem.

[@abc-ni9uw]

A 3 bed semi would have only set you back 5-10k if that

[@stevenhewes1990]

I bought my first 3 bed terrace for 95k. Massive difference.

[@buildingabout3505]

@@stevenhewes1990 3 bed terrace in need of repair, with garden , 103k

[@daisychain3007]

@@stevenhewes1990 People earned less then. I am sick and tired of people moaning about how bad things are now. Coronavirus apart, we are living in some of the best times: no war, no recession (although you never know what is around the corner.) In another forty years, we will say how wonderful life was now.

[@jonathanhadley2555]

And then along came Thatcher who said that you could buy your home & become middle class......

[@SedriqMiers]

When the bin men would take your rubbish.

[@IanPayne]

they don't now?

[@zogworth]

Alright stig of the dump.

[@melgrant7404]

When you didn't have to recycle just bung it in

[@hasib955]

Yh it’s more of a dump now, nowadays theres garbage at every street corner, wasn’t like this 10 years ago here

[@kateallsop6572]

Only yesterday the bin men came to empty mine .where I live there is a green island they left the bin the far side .that meant I would have to walk on the road which was icy or over the green which is a mess due to car parking.i live in mansfield.

[@dianaconnors4700]

I lived in Nottingham in the 80s I knew Hyson green well, my son went to St Mary’s school in Hyson green, I lived in new basford, before that I lived at Radford boulevard was married at the Catholic Church on Lenton Boulevard in 1979 I worked at Marathon factory in the mid to late 1970s just before it was to close down ( marathon was next to players factory), in the late 1980s we bought a house on porchester road Mapperley .....finally moved to Oxford city.

[@abc-ni9uw]

My childhood - st Anne's Nottingham

[@anthonymitchell8893]

my child hood split between forest fields and netherfield

[@doortable5199]

It's spelt st anns

[@leemclaughlin3927]

big dogs in tiny back yards is always a sign of poverty

[@rjjcms1]

There seemed to be one in nearly every house in this clip.

[@markcarey8426]

I expected at any moment this would become a skit from Monty Python.

[@paulwalker9014]

I was expecting to see Ronnie Barker climb a hill with a loaf of bread.

[@markcarey8426]

@@paulwalker9014 Hahaha

[@rjjcms1]

@@paulwalker9014 No,he'd get David Jason to do that for him.

[@JETJOOBOY]

Imagine being introduced to ECSTASY whilst living in these streets ...... Some of us don't have to.... COLOUR LOVE HAPPINESS EASY MOVEMENT BRIGHTNESS UNITY PEACE LOVE FLOWING ENERGY CONNECTEDNESS EMPATHY UNDERSTANDING SYMPATHY Much better than poverty, damp, dog shit and unemployment.... Coming back to Pelham Street after a cheap BLISSFUL night in town ..... A little HAVEN of Sanity and Insanity until the Sun came up.... What went wrong.

[@gaygambler]

It’s Far better then, than now. Unfortunately

[@leeludlowart237]

Anthony Ó Súileabháin totally agree mate.

[@indiekiddrugpatrol3117]

@Brant Hall if you had an understanding of the real world you'd know that unemployment rates still haven't recovered to pre 1973 levels from when we were undemocraticly brought into the 4th Reich

[@stevenhewes1990]

@Brant Hall if that is your view of Brexit then clearly it is YOU who has no comprehension of how the real world works. The EU is a dying economy. Best hop off the sink ship now.

[@callumward7503]

@@stevenhewes1990 Humans have the inability to weed out false information from the truth. So in that statement, where are the statistics to prove it?

[@hugostieglitz238]

Certainly a lot better than today

[@ChantingInTheDark]

I grew up on an estate like this. It's a fucking wonder I made it out alive.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

Legend has it the poo collection is still there on the streetway today as we speak...

[@keepfituk5279]

legend has it you will be a knobhead all you're life.

[@fidelcatsro6948]

@@keepfituk5279 hahaha good morning to you too!!

[@keepfituk5279]

legend has it still trying to think of a good comeback.

[@EvilGrapefruit]

That was 1988?! Something about that film quality makes it look like the 70s. I think I do remember a rag and bone man going around West Bridgford in the earlier 80s but I don't remember Nottingham looking so desolate as that.

[@robatkin7580]

Deffo not 70s Mate, look at the clothes they are wearing.

[@indiekiddrugpatrol3117]

@@robatkin7580 there's a mk3 escort as well, they came out in 1980

[@rjjcms1]

In the late 80s what passed as a recovery from the crippling recession and de-industrialisation was creeping up the Midlands and just starting to tentatively reach a few bits of the North. The scars were starkly visible,though.

[@singbluesilver1973]

You can’t watch this from 2019 and think “poverty”. Everywhere in general was less well-off than we are now. This is just how it was. Not just in Nottingham. People moan about “poverty” now but they think this means not being able to afford Sky or more than two TVs. In our day we had no central heating, we’re lucky to have a car in the household, and were grateful for food on the table. It was just the way it was. Not poverty - just life.

[@avisian8063]

People don't mean not being able to afford sky or multiple TVs. They mean going to food banks, and having multiple 0 hour contracts that barely bring in enough to pay rent. Don't substitute ignorance and prejudice for facts.

[@serinadelmar6012]

What an astonishing statement. If people have central heating, a car in the household, and food on the table they are grateful, or should be. What do you are describing is actually quite similar to most of my street. I have no central heating, we have no car, we are extremely grateful to have food on the table. And we do not have sky tv either. Another rather grand difference is not being able to ever own a house through living below the poverty line. And for many it is infinitely worse, so despite said poverty, without the bunny rabbit ears, am extremely grateful but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. People living in poverty are not moaning about not having sky TV, unsurprisingly they have different priorities.

[@serinadelmar6012]

Dave da Silva Well said Dave.

[@singbluesilver1973]

Then maybe they should try harder.

[@hasib955]

“Then maybe they should try harder” the most dismissive and baseless statement that you could make

[@paulsmith4337]

Any chance you could upload the rest ?

[@vickyhyde8173]

This brings back memories for me

[@christophersummers4366]

Bloonwoods now that was rough but I loved living there

[@DontDissTheProgram]

Before my arrival on earth! but i recognised Ilkeston road I believe that’s it

[@acegambit54]

The milkman with the smooth drop and hook lol

[@RcNerd]

When Tv was worth watching.

[@PP-vt9ug]

Does anyoone know where the rest of the program is? Is it on youtube,perhaps?

[@giuseppe397]

Is that saxophone tune from "A touch of frost"?

[@unchattytwit]

Very little in that clip showing any genuine poverty, the shots could come from Hampstead. Some middle class voice over, fierce dogs in back yards and dog shit on a pavement. No doubt there was genuine poverty but the TV clip wasn't going to provide the viewer with any hard and fast evidence. More like a middle class person's idea of poverty.

[@sarahfields288]

I was born in Radford. I have happy memories

[@abc-ni9uw]

Same same well In St Anne's born in 86 moved to whitemoor

[@stevenhewes1990]

@@abc-ni9uw sneinton and st Ann's boy. 1990.

[@mrfeather83]

83 radford

[@robertoballa9703]

Children's world is a contented one .... by default

[@markmitchell2282]

I Was born and bred in Nottingham and still there Broxtowe

[@user-vy2oq4ck2r]

People don't learn we lost independence they don't care what will happen if we lose electric and heating.

[@trevorrobinson8577]

It's very easy to make a negative film about any city. You chose Nottingham with close up of dog mess. Not very convincing.

[@fabolvaskarika7940]

This is not a tourist advert. It’s a documentary. Do you know the difference?

[@BarryAllenMagic]

The usual racist rhetoric appearing in the comments already. Let's always blame immigration; not Government lack of investment in industry and infrastructure. It's just so much easier than considering the bigger picture, isn't it.

[@HenningDiesel]

You can blame government for immigration.

[@BarryAllenMagic]

@@HenningDiesel Immigration IS required. The tens of thousands of vacancies within the NHS is evidence of that. Or maybe you believe that the role of highly-skilled nurses, doctors, surgeons, etc. can be filled with British Chavs/Chavettes that can't even be bothered to get their lazy arses out of bed in the morning?

[@nicck]

Where?? What comments?

[@BarryAllenMagic]

@@HenningDiesel Actually, you are quite wrong in that statement. Many NHS medical professionals do indeed come from Third World Countries. Keep digging that hole for yourself dear chap. 🤣😂🤣😂

[@HenningDiesel]

I know, and it shows.

[@davids8449]

Short and sweet

[@nickcliff]

Things was tough in st Anne’s I grown up there in the 80s even in most areas of Nottingham

[@tylerdurden7500]

the dog shit on the pavement is how I remember it

[@campervan-john]

Still better than the shite we live in now

[@Venus29]

Dog warden. Those were the days.

[@johnchapman6013]

In the Eighties in Mansfield , I remember having to go to Radcliffe on Trent to collect my Dog . The Dog man used to shout Bruce over to his Bedford H.A. van and he would jump in . L.o.l.

[@stuartkelly3106]

Dog poo was not brown in the eighties it was white!!!!!

[@jimmorrison2657]

I remember that mate. Weird innit.

[@joncotn]

Used to feed dogs more bones from the butcher back then. Turns the poo white

[@alisonwilliams4862]

@@joncotn Is that the actual reason? I always wondered why that was!

[@jamiestewart1644]

I was lucky enough to live in Mapperley Park but I had a girlfriend from Forest Fields that I used to visit. I never felt in danger but that could be the folly of youth. A friend who moved there was beaten up and another friend was murdered in Radford in the late 90's. Lots of drugs and crazy folk floating about that place. A local 'Artist' used to go around spray painting the dog shit different colours. I do actually remember that lad in the red sweatshirt from around those times. I think he was an evening post seller.

[@waltersng1065]

Any more?

[@sourzebra9289]

England manages to make the 80s seem like the dullest of times as it does with everything.

[@adamparr8029]

From beeston originally and Lived in Nottingham for 19 yrs, it's a great city!. But like anywhere has deprived rough areas, some more than others. St Ann's & broxtowe Bestwood. Are probably roughest areas I've been to. They need Abit of redevelopment!

[@lunadevass5715]

They need bombing.

[@adamparr8029]

@@lunadevass5715 😂😂😂

[@Hansneesnbumpsadaisy]

I remember dog poop being everywhere back in the 80s - very pleased that's gone but seems to have been replaced by 'will I get hit from behind by a cyclist/scooter rider doing 15-25 on the pavement?'. Decisions on what goes on regarding pavements always seem to be made by people who don't use them that much.

[@erichunt2059]

there is no dog shit on the streets of nottm today,no one takes their dog for a walk anymore the fear of being robbed assaulted or worse,80% of Nottingham within city boundaries is a no-go area. if there are no kids playing out on the streets that is the sign of danger keep moving on.

[@PorscheWilliamsformulaone2026]

If you thought you were born in birmingham just wait until you were born in nottingham!!!

[@user-bx3rg7yb1d]

Strongest people on earth come from this city. I'm young I wasn't born until 2002. Way after this. But where I live sherwood. I love it. With all its flaws I'll never move away. This is home I love it here. My grandparents on both sides grew up here. So we what if we fight and take drugs. Like that doesn't happen in every major British city lol. But as a kid playing out I was safe. The adults took care of us. Women didn't have to worry. It's only people in the game who get got around here. It's just a run down poor area. But it's people are amazing. Fucking love this city. Love the entire country.

[@cnevill2]

Music at the start reminds me of Touch of Frost

[@lewisner]

I'm not clear from this clip how Nottingham was supposed to be poor ? There's a guy pushing a pram with a washing machine and there's a lot of dog shit ?

[@anonymousone6075]

Nottingham was a major coal mining area, once all the mines got closed down their wasn't much work and loads of people were poor

[@lippyfrybender4622]

Still a dump today crap wages over priced houses and crap football teams

[@alexmorse4505]

Lippyfry Bender best city in uk

[@lippyfrybender4622]

@@alexmorse4505 must go and see a doctor I fear for your sanity lol

[@louismolineaux8570]

Lippyfry Bender nonce

[@lippyfrybender4622]

@@louismolineaux8570 if I'm a nounce what are you? Nottingham full of old women and that s there football teams

[@archiehickox6518]

Nottingham is a shithole. Always will be.

[@felicitytoad]

i liked Nottingham in the 80s and it was a bit rough

[@MrZaqsr]

my parents were livinghere at this time wdf

[@chrischristian8050]

I’ve been told the 80’s problems like poverty were Thatcher fault.

[@johnmoore9862]

Her & her monetarist policy lead to an increase in poverty, she put more store in Milton Friedman’s hard care-less theory than the actual evidence of the grinding poverty it created all around her, she gleefully ignored families going hungry which eventually lead to food banks becoming the norm. Poor people still vote conservative.

[@user-vy2oq4ck2r]

See how long you last without money and support yourself then we'll have another conversation about it.

[@stevo728822]

The younger people in this film are now in their 60's.

[@user-vy2oq4ck2r]

I had to pay thousands to look after those horses then in the 90s I got a job with Eon Nottingham. I was there for the riot.

[@dsszerothlaw]

Remember 1988 in Nottingham very well.

[@JumpinJackFlashTravel]

What kind of Dog at 1:40 marker?

[@skipper12345]

West Highland White Terrier, bit late but just came across it lol

[@top3misterioyterrorzapoyot571]

Thanks Thatcher for your services😒

[@jamie8539]

There will always be another Nottingham lol

[@jamesleftlion]

The close up of dog shit on the pavement. Nice.

[@flybeep1661]

1:51 lol, don't know If it's the same in Britain but where I'm from (across the pond) you let your dog shit on the street without bagging it today you better be ready to be confronted about it (by several people).

[@jonathancooper4914]

All thanks to Mrs. T of course.

[@wisteela]

Great bit of history. I live in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

[@bigpimp347]

We know, keep recording your pmr 446 users..

[@wisteela]

@@bigpimp347 Oh, I will.

[@bigpimp347]

@@wisteela just don't make yourself a target..

[@wisteela]

@@bigpimp347 What's that supposed to mean?

[@TheAngryyTroll]

@@wisteela bigpimps gonna come getya

[@noodles74]

1980s?...looks like the 70s

[@bigrigger3762]

JR Mk3 Escort estate in one shot and they were released in 1980

[@chinggiskhanvevo6589]

oh my god the song! it's Nottingham Town hahahaha

[@philipparogers5613]

1980s stab city shottingham drugs rife everywhere in ng7 area I was born and bred in Nottingham and now thank goodness all this has gone for the mostpart it’s a great city to live great kind and mostly tolerant people !

[@kareenaschmidt4904]

That lady litters lol

[@smithmr1]

Radford was so much nicer back then, it's a shame what its become.

[@JosephStealin]

I wonder how that dog is doing now?

[@moominmay]

Lol 1:27 woman just casually dropping her litter

[@timarnold1634]

Looks like Tamworth. What's up?

[@unimog875]

1:30, lady throws garbage on the ground

[@vickyhyde8173]

Am from Broxtowe

[@user-yx7dp2pl8t]

like sumit of shaun of dead

[@pelnapkins4379]

No PPE on those bin men lol

[@spinynorman8217]

Upvc has now taken the buildings to a new low, it's previous gritty resilience and architectural integrity removed making everything look more unloved and poorer still. Today only rich areas have their proper windows making our social divide wider.

[@izzybat666]

Wasn't poverty at all

[@Eli_Ghostie]

And now we are the poorest city in England.

[@doortable5199]

@NFFC now it is

[@doortable5199]

@NFFC search it up

[@doortable5199]

@NFFC go on nottingham post it's there don't be so mad grandad

[@doortable5199]

@NFFC I'm from st anns mate I'm not trying to make anything look like anything it's statistics the average wage in nottingham is lower then any other city in England hence the word poorest

[@brickspace8617]

80s Britain is quite different to 80s America

[@grahamfisher5436]

Born 72 Claypole Road Hyson Green

[@softshallow7435]

1988 Coventry wasn’t too bad. Suppose where you lived.

[@LivegoodWilliam]

I grew up in Top Valley and then moved to radioed when I was in my teens. I can't remember it being as bad as this film made out. Top Valley was a proper racist shithole. radford was a step up for me

[@honda4004]

When you lived there it was just life as you assumed it was hyson green flats Berridge road . You had next to nothing and made do.

[@budte]

Well the 80s was better than the 70s was better than the 60s was better than the 50s. Real suffering is what we do to each other and not how many goodies we have.

[@vinceiswatchingyou]

Still the same

[@MsCharlieBrown78]

I preferred the old Nottingham to the city we have now. It's unrecognisable. Everywhere you look it's student accommodation and luxury flats standing empty while people are living in tents or in shop doorways. It's really bad.

[@johnross2924]

All 2.17 of it 🙄

[@timothysmith2724]

Did they have a fetish for dog turds on thst road.

[@andysmith8890]

It looks alright o me

[@dannyzee4]

Lol doesn't even look that bad going by this video. Having a bin collection is a good thing. Crime and racism was bad then though, apparently.

[@olpasi]

Still better than lithuania.

[@boeingbwoy]

It's like that in the black country in 2019

[@BIGGEST786]

Best place in the whole of the Uk living wise u can bank on that

[@stevenhewes1990]

@@BIGGEST786 was

[@Methuselem]

Tay! It’s bostin’-ay it!

[@BIGGEST786]

Shewes unfortunately like everything is now mate and where we’re headed. Execute Rothschild overthrow the monarchy hallelujah

[@boeingbwoy]

@@Methuselem tis ar

[@johnyashm4191]

Things must of been bad if people had to shit on the pavements