What was absolutely, undisputedly better in The Old Days?

[Pickles89]

Back when you were young, or even before that?

I'm going to kick off with Beany Babies. The realistic style 90's ones were so much nicer than the massive eyed/sparkly/rainbow coloured monstrosities of today.

Your turn!

[ponkydonkey]

My waist and the ability to eat anything and everything and still be a size 6 😀😀😀
Now a very rotund Sse 12 and 50

I would like to add I'm much happier now

[evilharpy]

@BabbleBee

The High Street. With shoe shops like Freeman Hardy Willis, Dolcis, Saxone…

I was going to say this. Now there's just endless mobile phone shops and empty units.

Also shopping centres. So many happy hours hanging out with friends and trying on stuff we couldn't afford.

[KrispyKale]

The high street, Woolies I miss.

[Toloveandtowork]

Music.

[Theunamedcat]

Fuel and food prices we didn't have as much gourmet shite in the shops at Christmas but it was full of good food and a lot cheaper

[specialsauce]

Live bands

[Exhausteddog]

Chocolate, specifically Dairy Milk.

I was going to say Dairy milk. Especially the tiny wrapped up bars about the size of a postage stamp - they were such a treat.
Also agree with pps
Caramac
Connect 4
Guess who

And also
Doc Martens
Receiving a letter in the post (there used to be a chance of getting a funny letter from a friend or family, now its boring shit from the bank telling you your interest rate has gone from 0.01% to 0.005%, or worse, from the local Conservative party)

And im really embarrassed about this but
Branflakes
I'm sure they used to be acceptable in the absence of other cereals, recently got sone as there seemed to be a cereal shortage and it was like eating cardboard. No one (even DH who isn't particularly discerning fussy would eat them - not even the pets) They definitely used to be edible sweeter.

[ILoveHuskies]

@Jellykat

Caramac

I had one recently and thought this ! They taste like those cheap chocolate "white mice" to me

I used to love them as well 😞

[AntiHop]

House prices

[Georgyporky]

Husband.

[KrispyKale]

The excitement of watching the arm move across, the needle to drop down into the groove and waiting for the music to begin.

[swissmodel]

Driving. Fuel was cheaper, there was more parking space, no fecking bus lanes and don't get me started on the evil LTNs.

[Eyeskydry]

Pensions
Domestic appliances
Angel delight
Weekends

[paisley256]

Christmas ! our extended family all lived within walking distance and we'd alternate houses each year for a party on xmas night . Proper Christmasses with loads of noisy kids , tinsel and fun .

This, with bells on!!

[lollipoprainbow]

Christmas

[EineReiseDurchDieZeit]

As above.

The quality of most childrens toys
The quality of chocolate

BUT

For me the biggest difference is the dark side of mobiles and social media. Sinister, bullying intrusion, right in your home and the palm of your hand. I have always been glad SM didn't exist when I was under 18

[LetHimHaveIt]

The Body Shop
Children's books - especially 8+
Pizza Express
Party dresses for girls

[Maverickess]

Music, definitely!

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

Omg the body shop totally!!! And WHSmith

[alexdgr8]

bus conductors.
apart from the benefit to the actual bus journey, i think they helped instil proper behaviour in youngsters, and others who would be pillocks.

[DelphiniumBlue]

Ribena.
Being able to go places without having to organise and book everything in advance. And you could park. I could drive into Camden or Central London and park reasonably near where i was going.
Mind you, the bus service was worse, could often wait 45 minutes for a bus to get home from school, and there were no night tubes. Cabs were comparatively more expensive before Uber, so were often not a realistic alternative. And there seemed to be fewer rules. Those that did exist were enforced by people, not machines, so there was more discretion.
There were more public toilets, eg at stations.

[LowlandLucky]

I can't think of anything that wasn't better. Hardly anyone seems content these days, always chasing the new "must have". Even the though we are in the 21st century my local very large town doesn't even have a single shoe shop, forty years ago they had over a dozen, how is that progress ?The education system was far superior and housing was affordable. People socialised together therefore had support systems even if we didn't know what a support system was. Drugs didn't ruin whole communities. And yes. Cadburys was way better than the muck it is now.

[Durbeyfield]

Tomatoes

[paisley256]

- CDs - I love Spotify but honestly feel sorry for kids not experiencing the thrill of buying a new cd and immediately looking through the booklet; checking out the artwork/photos, having the joy of having all the lyrics (or the disgust when there weren’t any included!) and memorising the credits for each song...

Exactly this.

[Ratched]

Excitedly buying the Radio Times at Xmas, and spending HOURS considering, debating and deciding on what to view.
There were 4 bloody channels to choose from!
Programmes and films to be watched were ringing in black ink.
TV was exciting in those days. Now it's just everywhere😒