I found this wonderful old photo of Cardiff today. It shows Queen Street, the Welsh capital’s main shopping road, before it became traffic-free in 1975. Judging by the gleaming K-reg Rover on the left I’d say it was taken in 1972 or 1973.

The details are fascinating. Every car is British. The Dutch clothing store C&A was still a household name (it left Britain in 2000). British Home Stores had yet to become BhS, and was pioneering frozen food at the time the photo was taken. Top Rank Suite enjoyed the glam rock era.

The crane in the background was building Brunel House, which was meant to house British Rail’s Western Region headquarters. (Another botched reorganisation at the taxpayers’ expense…) The Venetian-looking building on the right once overlooked the Glamorgan canal, which entered a tunnel here. (It was filled in over 50 years ago.)

The sign for the hair removal clinic (above Stead & Simpson on the right) suggests we were already obsessed about appearances!

I wonder if any of the cars are still on the road?