BRIDGE DAY - THE CROWD - 1966

Down at the scene where all the action was taking place on 18th August 1966, here's the crowd scattered all around the bridge area, waiting patiently for the grand opening.

The top image has quite a lot of folk gathered around the Dock Street bridge approach section, and you can make out the masses away in the distance over at the enclosure where the official ceremony was going on.

The middle picture catches the moment the Queen Mother's car drives up onto the the bridge, with plenty of flag waving as she passes.

The last snapshot shows the initial excitement over with some of the spectators choosing to depart, while most of the others hang on to watch the royal wheels return.

I can remember being driven across the bridge on this very day, only in the evening - along with thousands of others who decided to cross it on opening day!

Photos from Gordon C.

HRH AT THE GALLEON - 1966

Well I may not have had the exact year when the previous 4 photos on Retro were taken, but this one here is easy - 18th August 1966.

The car is whizzing along Dock Street with The Galleon in the background, the pub being on the corner of Dock St/Whitehall Crescent.

The VIP in the back of the car is Her Royal Hatness the Queen Mother on her way to the ceremony podium to give the speech that officially declares the Tay Road Bridge open.

Photo from Gordon C.

CITY CENTRE BAR - DOCK STREET - 60'S

This view along Dock Street was taken in the mid 60's when the area across the road was being modernised during the construction of the Tay Road Bridge.
The City Centre Bar was on the corner of Shore Terrace.
This was one of 3 similar sounding pub names in town - City Centre Bar - Centre Bar - Central Bar.
Does your head in trying to separate them in your mind 40 years later!
Further along Dock Street you can see a sign for a tobacconist called John Crabb. This shop floor was always covered in nippers!
Image by DC Thomson

DRINKS AT THE TAY HOTEL - 1980'S

This was taken somewhere in the Tay Hotel sometime in the 80's.
A bit vague, I know, but I can't figure out which part of the hotel it could be.
I thought at first it might be upstairs in the Junction 9/Club Feet area, but I don't remember the bar being decked out as a frilly stage set, so I guess it must be some other function room in the hotel.
Someone may recognise the bar staff in the picture, looking a bit like Punch & Judy behind there, so with a bit of assistance we may be able to piece it together.
To zoom into the faces, click on the image to enlarge.
Image by DC Thomson.

80'S CENTRE BAR POSTER

1986 is the year that is missing from the date on the poster.
Two bands on the night for this Centre Bar gig (downstairs in the Tay Hotel in Dock Street ) - Thee Rockin Shebang Sisters and The Rock Lobsters.
Although I'm familiar with both band names, my powers of recall on this occasion have deserted me, so if anyone can give the lowdown on the bands or gig, feel free to enlighten us in the comments.
Now, is that curvy creature, Diana Dors or Divine??!!
Big thanks to Drew Ramsay

WINTER'S AND THE CHELSEA LOUNGE

I used to visit Winter's in the 60's & 70's quite a lot, usually to get stuff for school - pencils, protractors, compasses and so on.

There were occasions when I popped in to spend my pocket money on other items too. I remember they had a rack in one corner of the shop that sold a book series called "How to draw". So they'd have How to draw - faces, animals, cartoons, landscapes, and such like. I indulged in a few of those.

In the early 70's, the interior became L-shaped after a wee make over.

As for The Chelsea Lounge, well it was a pub I was never in. In fact, I don't recall ever having drank there in any of it's guises, these being - The Drum, City Centre Bar, The Stance & Drum plus the more recent ones who's names I've lost track of.