Skip to content

SE1

2004

Hot Munchies

Hot Munchies, 30 Southwark Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2004, 2011, 2016 • Cheekily named arch cafe amidst sea of dirty viaduct tiles. Still there in 2018, as all […]
Hot Munchies

2015

South Bank Cards

South Bank Cards, 85 Lower Marsh. Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2002, 2015 • Colourful street market card shop (green in 2002 and blue in 2015, bottom). By 2017 it […]
South Bank Cards

2002

Flakes

Flakes Catering, 46 Tower Bridge Road, Bermondsey, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Old geezer meets trad signwriting. Later became a Labour party office.
Flakes

2002

H.W. Cooper

H.W. Cooper, Willow Walk, Bermondsey, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Colourful sign collage on a glass and perspex works. By 2017 the wonky drainpipes were still there, but […]
H.W. Cooper

2016

Pullman Motors

Pullman Motors, 142 Newport Street, Lambeth, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2015 (top) and 2016 • Self-styled “last garage in Vauxhall”, established 1948,  in what was once an entire row […]
Pullman Motors

2016

Kenon

Kenon, 360 Old Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2016 • Traditional plumber’s merchant with magnets in its logo (once a common hardware store motif), and an artistic display of […]
Kenon

2011

Tony’s

Tony’s, 195-205 Union Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2011 • Not sure what service Tony offered – haircuts maybe – but the graffiti says, twice, that he’s a big […]
Tony’s

2010

Radio Days

Radio Days, 87 Lower Marsh,Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2010 (top) & 2015 (bottom) • Original black Vitrolite on a long-established vintage emporium whose Biba-esque frontage and evocative 1940s soundtrack […]
Radio Days

2010

The Lambeth Walk

The Lambeth Walk, 17 Lambeth Road, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2010 • Last call for a net-curtained council estate boozer that was opened by Pearly folk in 1951 (Pathe footage […]
The Lambeth Walk

2006

Moulding Works

Moulding Works, 10 Leake Street, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2006 • Big green-brick titling on a handsome building next to Waterloo’s ex-Eurostar terminal. The text-decorated sides were briefly revealed by building works […]
Moulding Works

2004

Gio’s Kitchen

Gio’s Kitchen, 79 Lower Marsh, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2004 • The windows look like a Sarah Lucas artwork and the flag couldn’t save it. One of many short-lived cafes on this […]
Gio’s Kitchen

2003

The Take-Away Bar

The Take-Away Bar, 84 Southwark Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2003 • Old-fashioned name in a grim 1960s block just behind Tate Modern, dating from the era when it was a backwater power station. […]
The Take-Away Bar

2006

Metro Test

Metro Test, 182 Hercules Road, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2006 • Beautiful hand-lettered sign (note alternating direction of shadows) on railway arch MOT centre, now demolished to create smart […]
Metro Test

2005

Pink

Pink, 44 Lower Marsh, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2005 • In case you hadn’t guessed, the current mini-theme is … pink. This roseate boutique later became eau-de-nil eaterie Café del Marsh.
Pink

2002

Christian Caring

Christian Caring Ministries, 189 Old Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Not sure if this is a church or a shop – God moves in mysterious ways. Now beauty […]
Christian Caring

2011

Valentine

Valentine, 171 Long Lane, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2011 • Scary pub squat with extreme name / appearance mismatch. It may have originally been called the Valentine & Orson, […]
Valentine

2001

Bikeshire Racing

Bikeshire Racing, 15 New Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2001 • Charmingly naive motorbike murals, long gone. A small disclaimer under “Free Fitting” reads “(to loose wheels)”. Now a block of […]
Bikeshire Racing

2002

Ferodo (Southwark)

Ferodo, bridge ad, Southwark Bridge Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Ferodo, a century-old brake parts specialist, still exists, and with the same lovely logo.  Sadly they’ve stopped doing painted bridge ads, […]
Ferodo (Southwark)

2006

The Grub Shop

The Grub Shop, 178 Lambeth Road, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2006 • Another great name, on a cafe which used to change colour every year. It’s now called The Corner […]
The Grub Shop

2002

Clover Dairies Limited

Clover Dairies Limited, circa 201-203 Old Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • This attractive block next to yesterday’s Gin Palace was similarly demolished, to be replaced with bog-standard shop’n’flat […]
Clover Dairies Limited

2002

The Gin Palace

The Gin Palace, circa 205-9 Old Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Legendarily dodgy boozer on the cheapest bit of the Monopoly board. Previously known as The Castle, […]
The Gin Palace

2002

Anjay Displays Ltd

Anjay Displays Ltd, 227-229 Waterloo Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • I always like sad shop dummies. I think this shopfitter’s still there, though the road’s changing quickly.
Anjay Displays Ltd

2013

Fancy Goods

Fancy Goods, 3-11 The Cut, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2013 • Earlier incarnation of a fairly gruesome ex-Costcutter, in transition to becoming a Tesco Express.
Fancy Goods

2013

Ian Allen

Ian Allen, 45-46 Lower Marsh, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2013 • “Futuristic” 1970s-style round-cornered windows distinguishing a railway enthusiasts’ book and model shop situated behind Waterloo station.
Ian Allen

2014

Olives

Olives, 200 Blackfriars Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2014 • Tiny and ever-changing hole-in-the-wall in a defunct railway station. My fave incarnation was the Toast Office, but I can’t find […]
Olives

2008

Trussons Menswear

Trussons Menswear, 31 Lower Marsh, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2008 • I’m so glad no-one’s ever felt the need to update this charming 1960s-style frontage, with a name as […]
Trussons Menswear

2003

Skivers

Skivers, Druid Street, London Bridge, Borough of Southwatk, London SE1, 2003 • Nice name, but they surely didn’t attract many skivers at 6am. These under-viaduct roads at London Bridge have all […]
Skivers

2010

S.D.V. Jewellers

S.D.V. Jewellers, 100 Lower Marsh, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2010 • From the unglamorous end of the jewellery trade, though it’s a great place to get a watch battery…
S.D.V. Jewellers

2003

Maries Cafe

Maries Cafe, 90 Lower Marsh, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2005 (top), 2011 (middle), 2003 (bottom) • Shrunken-headed Santa greets curious punter at this popular Thai-cum-greasy spoon caff, which still […]
Maries Cafe

2005

Honour

Honour, 86 Lower Marsh, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2005 • Festive fetish gear at this stalwart of the rubberwear and bondage scene, still there today if you’re interested…
Honour

2001

Sandwich Bar Cafe

Sandwich Bar Cafe, 4-5 Hatfields, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2001 • Fine old-school cafe with spurious tinsel and customer in festive green hat. The ruched curtains, painted ivy and […]
Sandwich Bar Cafe

2002

L & N Cohen

L & N Cohen, 27 Lower Marsh, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2002 (top) & 2003 • Battered building housing a discount clothes stall, now smartly restored as posh grocer […]
L & N Cohen

2003

Chunnel Bar

Chunnel Bar, 133 Lower Marsh, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2003 & 2011 • Uncompromisingly drab wooden frontage as 1970s as its monicker: Eurostar bypassed Waterloo several years ago, and […]
Chunnel Bar

2002

Wok U Like

Wok U Like, 31 Baylis Road, Waterloo, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2002 • What a superb name. And it really does look like it serves exquisite cuisine! Has since gone […]
Wok U Like

2002

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.
Hing Loong

2012

Imperial Wine Stores

Imperial Wine Stores, Watneys, 178 Lambeth Road, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2012 • Still there, an old-fashioned sign on an old-fashioned corner where the classic 1950s comedy Passport To Pimlico […]
Imperial Wine Stores

2006

Livebait

Livebait, 43 The Cut, Waterloo, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2006 • This was the first Livebait, launched in 1996, which had a fully-tiled interior in classic pie-and-mash parlour style (I’m […]
Livebait

2001

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.
A. Smith

2002

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.
The Tea Hut

2002

Bespoke Windows

Bespoke Windows, Great Suffolk Street (sign for 70 Ewer Street), Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Nice take on the then-new Tate Modern. The area’s got too posh for light […]
Bespoke Windows

2001

R. Cooke

R. Cooke, 84 The Cut, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2001 • Very popular old Waterloo caff which shut overnight “on doctor’s orders”. And I never set foot in there. Damn.
R. Cooke

2001

Capital Taxi’s

Capital Taxi’s, 28 Great Suffolk Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2001 & 2010 (bottom) • Ah, the greengrocer’s apostrophe. By 2012 just a patch of striped wall remained and the […]
Capital Taxi’s

2001

Tonys Snacks

Tonys Snacks, 7 Meymott Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2001 • This usually ornate backstreet caff (shown both closed and open) was knocked down to make way for a hotel.
Tonys Snacks

2001

Alum Food Store

Alum Food Store, 100 Harper Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2001 • Splendid hand-made sign, though possibly misspelt as the name changed to Alom when they got a “proper” one.
Alum Food Store

2002

Farey & Sons

Farey & Sons, 37 The Cut, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Became an army surplus store with yellow plastic sign – still old-school, but much less beautiful.
Farey & Sons

2002

Dolla

Dolla Cosmetics & Hair Salon, 75 Tower Bridge Road, Bermondsey, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Nice old-fashioned typography, which later got replaced with a swirly purple logo.
Dolla

2002

Westminster Sauna

Westminster Sauna, 162 Westminster Bridge Road, Borough of Lambeth, London SE1, 2002 • I like to think this was thronged to the net-curtained gunnels with MPs. Later demolished to make way […]
Westminster Sauna

2001

Kings Sandwich Bar

Kings Sandwich Bar, 6 Milroy Walk, South Bank, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2001 • In a not-so-regal brutalist mall beneath Kings Reach Tower (ex-home of IPC magazines), due for […]
Kings Sandwich Bar

2013

Shoefayre

Shoefayre, 129-131 Borough High Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2013 • Was hidden by decaying scaffolding for over a decade until being revealed again in a street “smartening” for […]
Shoefayre

2002

Glass Mirrors

Glass Mirrors, 205 Grange Road, Bermondsey, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • As opposed to plastic mirrors, perhaps. Still derelict by 2012, though sans name boards and bearing a […]
Glass Mirrors

2002

Kehoe’s.

Kehoe’s., 5 Stoney Street, Borough Market, Borough of Southwark, London SE1, 2002 • Borough Market gentrified and this became smart Applebee’s Fish, but there’s still a Kehoe’s cobbler nearby.
Kehoe’s.