The Echo revisits a fascinating piece of local history captured on video more than three and a half decades ago. 

A YouTube clip, originally filmed in 1985, transports viewers back to the beating heart of Eastleigh, offering a precious glimpse of the market town before the familiar presence of the Swan Centre reshaped its central landscape.

Uploaded by a user named Ian, this video, lasting just over three minutes (3m 18s), serves as a remarkable time capsule. 

It lovingly pans across some of Eastleigh's most recognisable streets – High Street, Market Street, and Cranbury Road – showcasing them as they brimmed with life in the mid-eighties.

For those who remember the town from that period, it's a chance to reminisce. For newer residents, it's an intriguing look at the foundations of modern Eastleigh.

The footage reveals a streetscape dotted with businesses that may now only exist in memory. 

Viewers can spot the storefronts of establishments like Eastleigh Cycles, the specialist shop Homebrews, and catch a view of Eastleigh Railway Station as it appeared back then. 

Each frame is a snapshot of a bygone era, reflecting the styles, vehicles, and general atmosphere of 1985.

To further illustrate this journey into the past, the Echo has curated a gallery of still images, carefully extracted from Ian's evocative video. These pictures allow for a closer look at the details and perhaps spark even more personal recollections.

And spark memories it certainly does. 

The video has clearly resonated with viewers familiar with the Eastleigh of yesteryear. 

John Saint-Laurent, for instance, shared a warm personal anecdote in the comments section: "1:45 Homebrews, I remember my dad and I going in there to get Unican home brew beer!!!" 

The video is a poignant reminder of simpler times and perhaps, for John, the taste of home-brewed beer shared with his father.