One Saturday during December 1986, this home movie was made during a drive through the city. It includes many shops, restaurants, people, streets and cars along the way, at a time when New George Street and New Cornwall Street were yet to be pedestrianised.
Xmas Movie Plymouth City Centre 1986 - Nick Colbourne on YouTube
The year 1986 was a defining, turbulent, and transitional time for Plymouth, Devon. Set against the broader backdrop of Thatcherite Britain, the city was caught between its traditional identity as a rigid, blue-collar naval stronghold and the harsh realities of economic restructuring, social tension, and a burgeoning youth culture.
1. The Dockyard Shock: The Privatisation of Devonport
For generations, HMNB Devonport (the Royal Dockyard) was the undisputed economic heartbeat of Plymouth, employing tens of thousands of local "dockies." In 1986, that foundation shook.
The Transition: The Dockyard Services Act 1986 was passed by Margaret Thatcher's government, paving the way for the commercial management of the dockyards.
The Impact: In 1986, the city was thick with anxiety as the workforce prepared for the official handover to private management (which occurred in early 1987 to Devonport Management Limited). It marked the definitive end of the "jobs for life" mentality in Plymouth, triggering deep anxieties about redundancies and the decline of British naval dominance.
2. The Dark Spring: The Wordsworth Road Riots
While the mid-1980s are often romanticised for neon fashion and pop music, 1986 brought raw social unrest to Plymouth's social housing estates. The city was gripped by high youth unemployment and tension with the police, which culminated in the forgotten spring riots of 1986.
The Catalyst: Tensions boiled over in the North Prospect area (famously known locally as Swilly). The closure of a local youth club, paired with aggressive policing under new state powers, acted as a lightning rod for frustrated youth.
The Unrest: Violence erupted violently on Wordsworth Road. Properties were stoned, fences torn up to make barricades, and petrol bombs were discovered. The disturbances even spread toward Mount Gould and Union Street, where a massive crowd of hundreds of youths clashed with police officers outside nightclubs. It was a stark reminder of the economic depression felt by the city’s working class at the time.
3. Highs and Lows on the Terraces: Plymouth Argyle
For local football fans, 1986 was a year of incredible highs. The local club, Plymouth Argyle, was celebrating a massive milestone while playing some of its best football in a decade.
The Centenary: September 1886 marked the original formation of the first Argyle Football Club, meaning 1886–1887 was proudly celebrated as the club's Centenary Year.
The Glory: Under manager Dave Smith, the Pilgrims played blistering football, securing a celebrated promotion from the Third Division up to the Second Tier of English football. Home Park was absolutely buzzing, providing a massive morale boost to a city facing industrial decline.
4. Student Life and Pop Culture: "Run the World"
Away from the docks and the estates, Plymouth’s cultural landscape was shifting. Plymouth Polytechnic (now the University of Plymouth) was rapidly expanding, bringing a massive influx of students into the city center and areas like Mutley Plain and the Barbican.
Global Charity, Local Action: On May 25, 1986, Plymouth heavily participated in Sport Aid’s "Run the World"—a global 10km running event inspired by the previous year's Band Aid. Thousands of Plymothians, polytechnic students, and local Royal Marines from the nearby Bickleigh Barracks ran through the city streets—from Drake Circus past Charles Church—to raise money for African famine relief.
The Nightlife: Union Street was the undisputed capital of nightlife in the South West. Lined with legendary clubs and bars, it was a neon-soaked, chaotic strip where sailors, locals, and students mingled—and occasionally clashed—on Friday and Saturday nights.
The City Transport: 1986 was also the exact year deregulation hit the buses, and the iconic, red-and-cream Plymouth Citybus began operating under its official new commercial identity.
Summary: A City on the Edge
In 1986, Plymouth was a city of stark contrasts. If you walked up to the Hoe, you’d see pensioners playing bowls next to Smeaton's Tower and a full yacht marina in Sutton Harbour. But look inland, and you had a city heavily wrestling with its future—watching the Navy downsize, its youth fighting the police on council estates, and its local economy desperately trying to figure out what it would become next.
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