Store Norske was the Norwegian company involved in coal mining in Svalbard, and was largely responsible for Longyearbyen as a “company town”. As coal prices declined and coal reserves dwindled, it became necessary for the Norwegian government to step in and take over the company.

What happened next was a process of ‘normalisation’ of Longyearbyen, as one after the other of the town’s centres and infrastructure was taken over by the government.

Importantly, without an airport, Longyearbyen was effectively isolated for half of the year during the winter months. In 1975 their new airport was opened, and this marked the start of the town’s modernisation. It also brought growth in the diversity of its residents, as workers were encouraged to bring their families to settle in Svalbard.

In 1985 the aerial coal transport cableways were shut – one of the last reminders of the town’s coal mining past.