Looking back to Weymouth town centre in the 1980s

These images show a different looking Weymouth town centre as seen in the late 1980s.

Click into the photo gallery above and scroll through the images to see what the town centre looked like back then 

We bring you these pictures courtesy of reader Geoff Pritchard, who went around taking photos of the streets and shops of the resort before it changed beyond all recognition.

This was before the town's New Bond Street development came into existence with the town's now familiar looking multiplex cinema and department store.

We also have a couple of photos that focus upon the Jubilee Hall in the 1980s as it was gradually demolished.

The Jubilee Hall was sited on what is now part of the Debenhams store in New Bond Street.

The hall was built in 1887 and was designed to seat 2,000 to 3,000 people. It was used as a theatre and a meeting space and in 1909 became one of the first places in Weymouth to regularly show the 'new fangled' moving pictures, by now its name had been altered to The Royal Jubilee Hall and Picture Palace.

We also have a photo of Harmony Court to share, which was off Lower Bond Street.

Weymouth's multi-storey car park was in existence then, but the view from it now is very different, as shown by Geoff's photo.

You can see some boarded up houses and the town centre overall looks a lot more built up without the large developments we are used to today.

Some of you may remember the Golden Eagle which was in Lower Bond Street in Weymouth. One of Geoff's photos shows the side of the pub.

Front of the Golden Eagle pub in Weymouth (Image: Newsquest)

The Golden Eagle was, of course, where Jumpin' Jimmy Thunder performed.

This Weymouth town centre pub became nationally famous for hosting Jimmy’s gigs.

David Sheppard, landlord of the much-missed pub, first spotted Jimmy performing in the Railway Arch pub.

He said: “I took over the Golden Eagle in 1983 as it was a bankrupt business. When I got in there it was reasonably cheap.

“Jimmy lives and breathes Elvis Presley and most people would think of him as a comical singer. I scratched my head for while to find a singer for the pub - when I saw Jimmy I thought ‘I can do something with this’ and created an act and built a stage.

"Fellow landlords called me an idiot. But my pub turned into a mini goldmine!”

Jumpin' Jimmy Thunder performing at the Golden Eagle pub in Weymouth (Image: Golden Eagle)

People came from miles around to hear Jimmy perform thanks to word of mouth. He was even featured in a national newspaper.

Many readers have told us of their fond memories of listening to Jimmy perform at the Golden Eagle. Rod Wallis said: “It was packed out on a Saturday night because of Jimmy Thunder.”

Graham Ryan remembers: “It was a good pub when Jimmy Thunder was in there - it was packed out.”

Sadly the era of Jimmy at the Eagle came to an abrupt end in 1988 when the pub closed. The site remained derelict until 1998 when the pub was demolished.

Just last month the Echo reported on popular singer Jimmy, lesser known as Adrian Still, making a comeback for his 80th birthday.

He wanted as many people as possible to come and join him at the Wyke Working Men's Club in Wyke Regis on March 17.

Jimmy's big comeback gig - which saw him performing with the Originals - featured the local singing legend back in one of his typically flamboyant outfits.