The Spar (Kennington)

The Spar, 1c Braganza Street, Kennington, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Colourful yet grim, with a DIY awning logo. It lasted till 2016 and was then redeveloped into […]

Coin Wash

Coin Wash, 195 East Street, Walworth, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Launderette with speed queens – wow. Now called Sussan Coin Wash, with plastic sign gone.

SA Leatherwear

SA Leatherwear, 34 East Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Minimalist name for a leatherwear shop – can’t make out what the full title was.

Chapel Furnitures

Chapel Furnitures, 4 Browning Street, Walworth, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Giant hand sign on charming chapel for the unusually-pluralised Chapel Furnitures (maybe the singular version’s web domain had […]

G.J. Petts

G.J. Petts, 5 Westmoreland Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2001 • Unfortunate name for a butcher. Was still there in 2015, looking even more battered.

Unique News

Unique News, 118 East Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Depressing news, more like it (note noose over door). It’s now, bizarrely, called Ozone Sauna Detoxification Booth – […]

Clueless

Clueless, 88b East Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Not the ideal name for a boutique. Now called “CD’s DVD’s“, which also lacks an air of longevity.

Auto Electrical

Auto Electrical, 223 Old Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Last glimpse of classic signwriting prior to replacement with jerrybuilt-looking office block.

Doves Solicitors

Doves Solicitors, 200 & 202 Old Kent Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Yes, I’d certainly get my mission-critical legal work done here.

Schwar & Co

Schwar & Co., 250 Walworth Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Phwoar, Schwar the jewellers and its golden gem of a sign is still there.

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.

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.

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 […]

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!

Beddy Buyz Ltd

Beddy Buyz Ltd, 197-199 East Street, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • It might look like a closed-down ruin, but it’s still going strong. Note tiny “snores” emerging from the […]

African Prices

African Prices, 390 Walworth Road, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2001 • As opposed to princes. By 2012 it had been renamed Sofisticats.

Gerry’s Curtains

Gerry’s Curtains, 56 East Street, Walworth, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2002 • Looks like Gerry left some outside. Unchanged by 2012 in old-school East Street market.

The Manor Cafe

The Manor Cafe, 163 Manor Place, Borough of Southwark, London SE17, 2001 • The whole parade was later boarded up with Southwark council’s bright purple hoardings, still there in 2012.