Samuel Ironmongers Ltd
Samuel Ironmongers Ltd, 418 Edgware Road, City of Westminster, London W2, 2003 • One of my favourite-ever finds, a sad but splendid old hardware shop, once deserving of a double awning and […]
Ex-shop (Charlton)
Ex-shop, next to 68 Rathmore Road, Charlton, Borough of Greenwich, London SE7, 2004 • Mmm, nice shop, can’t wait for it to open again. It was still there in 2012, minus […]
Sarshire Ltd, F. Holt
Sarshire Ltd, F. Holt, 41 and 41a Brick Lane, Borough of Tower Hamlets, London E1, 2003 • A palimpsest of old Brick Lane’s small-trader past; now depersonalised as a generic Costprice […]
RM The Company Shop
RM The Company Shop, 81 City Road, Borough of Islington, London EC1, 2002 • Forget the Virgin Islands, I’d happily run my company from this impressive-looking HQ. Except I can’t, because […]
Shampoo
Shampoo, 10 Furzehill Parade, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, 2010 • Borehamwood is in the British filmland belt near Elstree Studios, so I like to think this utilitarian old hairdresser’s sign is […]
Scratch n’ Dent
Scratch n’ Dent, 211 Tarring Road, Worthing, West Sussex, 2003 • I love the wonky carpet of tiles, and it’s a great name for a shop, though now more poshly rebranded […]
Cash Supply Stores, Furniture
Cash Supply Stores, Furniture, ghost signs behind 23 Clapham High Street, Clapham North, Borough of Lambeth, London SW4, 2002 • More ghost signs, next to yesterday’s music roll emporium. By the […]
The Music Roll Exchange.
The Music Roll Exchange., ghost sign behind Premier Food & Wine, 29 Clapham High Street, Clapham North, Borough of Lambeth, London SW4, 2002 • Secondhand music rolls, the superannuated CDs of […]
James Phelps Ltd.
James Phelps Ltd., 26 Goodge Place, Borough of Camden, London W1, 2005 • Another place I used to work at in the early 1990s (well, in a bunker-like office tucked away […]
Soundcraft Limited
Soundcraft Limited, 4 Tottenham Mews, Borough of Camden, London W1, 2005 • Looks like a classic 1970s design, but I worked in this strange prow-like building in the early 1990s (when […]
Rahie Off Licence Newsagent
Rahie Off Licence Newsagent, 5 Whitechurch Lane, Edgware, Borough of Barnet, London HA8, 2004 • I knew times were tough for newsagents, but this is ridiculous. Now called Price Cutter.
Steve’s
Steve’s, 21 Herbert Road, Plumstead, Borough of Greenwich, London SE18, 2004 • Greengrocer with unfeasibly large name; still there, looks nice when open.
Embassy Cafe
Embassy Cafe, 1-2 Mortimer Square, Holland Park, Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London W11, 2002 • Fine old greasy spoon in one of London’s most expensive areas. Still there, still […]
Clapham School of Motoring
Clapham School of Motoring, 6 Clapham High Street, Clapham North, Borough of Lambeth, London SW4, 2002 • Confidence-inspiring driving school, handily sited next to a pub. For some reason it didn’t […]
H. Samuel (Manchester)
H. Samuel, 7-7A upper Mall, Arndale Centre, High Street, Manchester, 2009 • Tiled 1970s bunker with missing letter – a stirring brutalist sight. The U was still missing three years later; […]
Gamleys
Gamleys, 12 Haslett Avenue West, Crawley, West Sussex, 2002 • A toy shop, not to be confused with Hamleys; in a less litigious era, proprietor Bill Lord combined famous store names Gamages […]
Lloyd & Son
Lloyd & Son, 42 Amwell Street, Borough of Islington, London EC1, 2004 • High class dairy pictured open in 1978 here. From 2007-2012 it became organic grocery Unpackaged, who retained the frontage, albeit looking […]
Burma Fish Bar
Burma Fish Bar, 6 Hackney Road, Borough of Hackney, London E2, 2002 • More old-style Hoxton – note yummy £1 menu. Now reinvented as internet caff Burma@Access.
Pams Pet Shop
Pams Pet Shop, 194 Hackney Road, Hoxton, Borough of Hackney, London E2, 2006 • So blasted, it almost looks like South Bronx in the 1970s. Now smartened up as Shoebase, though […]
Sheila’s Aladins Cave & Wool Shop
Sheila’s Aladins Cave & Wool Shop, 181 High Street, Herne Bay, Kent, 2004 • Two target customers bypassing a mis-spelled, yellow-filmed knitting shop channelling spirit of 1970s granny, as faded seaside […]
Henrietta’s News & Food
Henrietta’s News & Food, 1-3 Slipshatch Road, Reigate, Surrey, 2002 • Not wishing to diss Henrietta, but there’s a quiet despair about suburban shopping parades. (This particular shop is now updated […]
Regis Shellfish
Regis Shellfish, The Esplanade, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, 2003 • Aah, the English seaside – not depressing, in any way. This particular stall doesn’t seem to be there any more, but […]
Hotel de Boulogne (London Chinatown)
Hotel de Boulogne (London Chinatown), 27 Gerrard Street, City of Westminster, London W1, 2002 • Belle epoque mosaic step now adding an incongruous continental flavour to Soho restaurant London Chinatown.
Mamas & Papas (Family Discount Store)
Mamas & Papas (Family Discount Store), 94 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, Borough of Hackney, London E8, 2002 • A splendid old mama and papa indeed. The shop’s still there, but with […]
Lou Farrow’s
Lou Farrow’s, 277-279 Southwark Park Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE16, 2002 • Super-basic pie & mash frontage near Millwall football ground. It’s still similar but neatly updated, sans random letter-spacing […]
Prestege Cleaning Supplies
Prestege Cleaning Supplies, West Lane, Borough of Southwark, London SE16, 2001 • Nice sign, shame about the spelling. Classic little council estate shop of the kind that’s fast disappearing; this one […]
Metacrest Ltd
Metacrest Ltd, Lidlington Place, Borough of Camden, London NW1, 2003 • Not the world’s finest figure studies, but charming even though the bloke on the right appears to be baring his […]
S (Willesden)
S (Willesden), St Albans Lane, Golders Green, London NW11, Borough of Barnet, 2003 • Fragment of old signwriting found lurking down an unkempt service road – I doubt it’s still there […]
Hing Loong
Hing Loong, 59 Tower Bridge Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Faded takeaway with semi re-inked letters; it’s still there, with new sign.
Belmont Fish & Chips
Belmont Fish & Chips, 43 Station Road, Belmont, Sutton, Surrey, 2001 • Genteel take on the standard fish bar sign; note inverse text pyramid of offerings on right, and insouciant fishing […]
Teignmouth Parade: Terry’s News, Lloyds TSB
Terry’s News, Lloyds TSB, 4 & 3 Teignmouth Parade, Perivale, Borough […]
Shopfront Elegy 