Disc Chord

Disc Chord, 71 High Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk, 2007 • Oh, the sad decline of record stores: by 2008 this had become a charity shop.

Dallas Steak House

Dallas Steak House, 184 Hackney Road, Borough of Hackney, London E2, 2006. • One of those absurdly tall and skinny standalone buildings you sometimes get in London. Now called Golden Grill. […]

F.H. Hannis

F.H. Hannis, 65 Gloucester St, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, 2007 • The note in the door suggests it was shuttered in 1999; in 2012 it became a posh deli, keeping the lovely mosaic […]

Bert’s

Bert’s, 354 East Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • A yellow plastic sign replaced the splendour of this intricately patterned lenticular gold lettering; see close-ups for detail.

Abcat Cine Club

Abcat Cine Club, 72 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross, Borough of Islington, London N1, 2003 & 2010 • Still extant “adult” venue from decreasingly seedy Kings Cross: note net curtain update between […]

Ann’s

Ann’s, 25a Shrubbery Road, Streatham, Borough of Lambeth, London SW16, 2002 • Genteel cameo logo for genteel-sounding Shrubbery Road. Now a book-keeping bureau called Figure Fact, but little changed.

Budget Carpets

Budget Carpets, 1a Penrose Street, Walworth, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Incongruously grand classical facade for a budget emporium, still in business today.

Continental Blue Film & Video Club

Continental Blue Film & Video Club, Soho, City of Westminster, London W1, 1983 • Old enough to look quaint, despite the subject matter. I’d like to know which road this was […]

D. Morgan & Son’s

D. Morgan & Son’s, 173 Manor Place, Kennington, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2001 • Dairy with greengrocer’s apostrophe (unless there really was just one son), from a parade now behind […]

Dave’s Diner

Dave’s Diner, 60 Battersea Park Road, Borough of Wandsworth, London SW11, 2002 • Strange how  evocative these generic Pepsi-branded cafes now look. Later became Con Amore, an Italian restaurant.

E.T. Baker

E.T. Baker, 76 Caledonian Road, Borough of Islington, London N1, 2003 • Mysterious, long-lasting facade with a beautiful “Brilliant” glass-and-gold sign (see detail).

Eddy’s Cars

Eddy’s Cars, 18 Mitcham Lane, Borough of Lambeth, London SW16, 2001 & 2002 • A fantastially ramshackle office with classic signwriting: note tiny afterthought apostrophe in name. Shown operational in 2001 […]

Euston Bookshop

Euston Bookshop, 40 Eversholt Street, Euston, Borough of Camden, London NW1, 2002 • The kind of bookshop that needs its windows blacked out. By 2012 was signed “To Let”, perhaps a […]

Go Gay (Fulham Rd)

Go Gay, 819 Fulham Road, Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London SW6, 2001 • Yes, Go Gay dry cleaners was a chain. This one is now called Blue Sky Cleaning.

Go Gay (Wandsworth Bridge Rd)

Go Gay, 120 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London SW6, 2001 • Fantastical sign for fantastical name, which lasted until 2012, amazingly.

Jack Hall

Jack Hall, 150 Battersea High Street, Borough of Wandsworth, London SW11, 2002 • Charming old dining rooms, with “Brilliant” brand glass sign. Now houses a gallery of some kind, retaining the […]

Phil Rabin’s Nosh Bar

Phil Rabin’s Nosh Bar, 39 Great Windmill Street, Soho, City of Westminster, London W1, 1983 • One of Great Windmill Street’s three legendary salt beef bars, all long gone: Phil Rabin’s […]

W.G. Sullivan Bespoke Tailor

W.G. Sullivan Bespoke Tailor, 181 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross, Borough of Islington, London N1, 2002 • First the letters fell off, as they tend to in Caledonian Road; and then it […]

A. Smith

A. Smith, 122 Southwark Bridge Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2001 • Venerable funeral parlour demolished circa 2007 and replaced with flats and offices; this corner is unrecognisable now.

Club Gear

Club Gear, 40 East Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Aaaw, he’s gone there looking for his club gear and it’s closed down!

Legs ‘n’ Co

Legs ‘n’ Co, 86 Maxwell Street, Glasgow G1, Scotland, 2012 • Defunct lap dancing joint named after dodgy 1970s Top of the Pops dance troupe, with suitably retro sign.

Liqueur Store

Liqueur Store, 32 Streatham High Road, Borough of Lambeth, London SW16, 2002 • A nice conceit – but I wonder if they meant Liquor Store?

The Tea Hut

The Tea Hut, Surrey Row, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Ramshackle snack kiosk allegedly dating back to the 1940s but demolished circa 2008 to make way for apartments.

Uncle Jim’s Off Licence & Launderette

Uncle Jim’s Off Licence, Uncle Jim’s Launderette, 208 & 208a […]

Top Joe’s

Top Joe’s, 4 Arlington Parade, Brixton Hill, Borough of Lambeth, London SW2, 2001 • Huge boasty bonkers sign whose stripy wall and backwards apostrophe brightened Brixton for decades – but no […]

Terminus Snack Bar

Terminus Snack Bar, 18 Terminus Place, Victoria Station, City of Westminster, London SW1, 2004 • A newer Terminus than yesterday’s, but the sign’s equally defunct and the whole 1970s-throwback parade is […]

The Terminus.

The Terminus. (aka Eastern Promise), 38 Greenwich Church Street, Borough of Greenwich, London SE10, 2002 • Old glass sign briefly revealed (and probably still lurking there) by Eastern Promise cafe replacing […]

William Amusement Burger Bar

William Amusement Burger Bar, 26 Station Road, Horley, Surrey, 2002 • Channelling the groovy Wimpy vibe. By  2012 was called The New Cafe, with the same net in the door, and […]

Wimpy Bar (Holborn)

Wimpy Bar, 117 Kingsway, Holborn, Borough of Camden, London WC2, 2003 • And here’s a Wimpy Bar photographed 20 years after yesterday’s. Note faded interior shot in window (see detail, below).

Wimpy Bar (Soho)

Wimpy, Soho, City of Westminster, London W1, 1983 • Gloomy-looking punters, from the days when there were still more Wimpy Bars than McDonalds.