For many people, the thought of winter approaching and the dark, chilly evenings in store is a depressing one.
But for others, there is something seductive about the long nights, with the landscape looking dreamy in the pale moonlight glow, and the city streets bathed in dazzling light.
This retro photo gallery is for the night owls among you, capturing after-dark scenes across the UK, from the dawn of the 20th century right up to the 1990s.
From the Blackpool illuminations to late-night swimming and the thrill of the funfair, these atmospheric photos show the nation coming alive after dark.
They capture the shift workers, putting in a hard slog while most of us are sleeping, and the lovers, enjoying romantic strolls under starry skies.
Whether you enjoy your extra hour’s sleep or it messes with your circadian rhythm, you might be interested to know the history behind daylight saving time.

13. Moss Side
A poster warning of the dangers of drugs in the Claremont Road area of Moss Side, south Manchester, in the 1980s, when the area suffered high levels of drug and gun crime and became known as 'Gunchester'. | Getty Images Photo: Tom Stoddart

14. Night-time stroll
Four couples walking along Margate beach, in Kent, at night in July 1952 | Getty Images Photo: Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Hulton Archive

15. Dazzling
Southend Pier, in Essex, illuminated at night in 1951 | Getty Images Photo: Ron Gerelli/Daily Express/Hulton Archive

16. Fairground rides
Illuminated rides at The Pleasure Beach in Blackpool, including a Ferris wheel and the Big Dipper, in September 1955 | Getty Images Photo: Fox Photos

