THE Queen has just celebrated her 96th birthday, so what better time to remember when she came to Newport.

This fantastic picture of a bustling Newport city centre was shared on our We Grew Up in Newport Facebook group.

It was taken in 1962 Brian Giblin just after the Queen had passed through Newport on her way to open Llanwern Steelworks.

It was posted by member Steve Sims, who said: "Now this is what you call a busy Newport town centre. I can remember getting lost when shopping with my grandmother.

"Will it ever come back? Doubt it."

The picture started a conversation with some of the 14,400 members of the Facegroup group, which was set up for people to share their memories - good and bad - of Newport.

Here's what some of them had to say:

David Connolly: "Evidently not taken within the last 10 years."

James Nicholas: "I remember getting off the bus just outside Boots on Commercial Street before it was pedestrianised. Was busy then."

Bev Chorley: "Those were the days."

Julie Pearl Glover: "A lot of ladies wore chiffon scarves on their heads in those days. Our mam did too!"

Sam Dabb: "That looks like hell. I’m very happy it’s not like that."

Paul Sammy Thomas: "My dad used hold my brother and my hands for dear life. It was incredible the amount of people on a Saturday. These days will never return. A real shame as going to town used to be the highlight of the week."

Tony Cole: "The good old days when Newport was a thriving town."

Karen Davies: "Not many people had cars so they went on the buses to their local town to shop."

June Clark: "I wonder if this is when the Queen visited because of the flags."

Dean Thacker: "That would be a jubilee or something with the flags and bunting."

Sally Jones: "I remember getting off a packed bus outside Boots on a Saturday. You dressed smart to go into town."

Michael Mcnulty: "Thank goodness you could pop into The Albert for a drink."

Catherine O'connell: "Yes it's was a time never do be forgotten. It was a lovely town and sadly missed."

Helen Callard: "It was an amazing place to grow up."

Denise Ambridge: "I miss it all. Everyone would talk to you. Everywhere in Newport was buzzing. Good old days."

Douglas Pritchard: "Wonderful days. Do a little shopping with my lovely wife and then nip into the Murenger or the Royal Albert for a meal and a pint, or two and then get on the bus for home."

Margaret Jones: "If only we could get those days back."

Leigh Devonshire: "Those days are long long gone. Won't ever be like that again because of online shopping. So sad!"

Patricia Norville: "I consider myself so lucky to have had my childhood in that era. I remember Newport town centre flourishing, exactly like this photo.

"When my mother took me into town in the school holidays the first stop was always the market. Once there I would run up the uneven concrete steps to see the pets corner giving my mother chance to look around the stalls.

"The rule was that I stayed there until she came to fetch me after she’d finished her shopping. It was an amazing time and one where I felt safe. Then we would either go for faggots and peas in the market or Vacaras for fish and chips. I loved those days spending time with my mother."

Chris Stubbs: "Blimey! Not sure I could take that kind of people crush these days!"

Lynda Hodges: "I remember it being like that. Every week me and my friend had to go the market to buy tripe and faggots for her grandmother. Number 9 bus from Corporation Road. Happy days."

Pauline Chantelle George: "I remember my late dad taken us in the market having homemade faggots. Everything changes."

Patricia Dymond: "Newport was lovely. Why have progressively useless councils and councillors, who we pay, allowed this to happen? You all should hold your head in shame. You have sold Newport and it’s people down the river."

Frank Mitchell: "Technology has done good in some ways, but it has made matters worse in the long run. When I was conducting in the 70s our buses were always full. When I became a driver in 71/72 we still had full buses, and town was still very busy.

"It's about time they bought the rates down and get the shops and people back in the city. I love seeing these old pictures. Takes me right back to the good old days."