The Dolly Tub (Bath)
The Dolly Tub, 6 St James’s Street, Bath, Bath & North East Somerset, 2015 • Traditionally named launderette in a grand mini-arcade. You can find out about washing dollies here.
The Dolly Tub (Wem)
The Dolly Tub, 60 Aston Street, Wem, Shropshire, 2017 • Jaunty launderette sporting the old name for a galvanised washtub. The dolly was actually a wooden washing contraption, and the […]
Top Stitch
Top Stitch, 92 St James’s Street, Brighton, East Sussex, 2004 • Dated by its giant landline phone logo, and a nice step too (bottom pic). Amazingly, by 2017 it was […]
Suede Services
Suede Services, 18 Hoop Lane, Golders Green, Borough of Barnet, London NW11, 2003 • 3D orange slab serif lettering – who could ask for more? It’s on the shop’s tiny […]
Wash Spin Dry
Wash Spin Dry, 207 Hackney Road, Borough of Hackney, London E2, 2006 • Open very late with 60s styling. It still looked much the same in 2017, though renamed Hi […]
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.
Launderette
Launderette, Lidlington Place, Borough of Camden, London NW1, 2003 • Grimly decorative washeteria.
Emerald Express Dry Cleaners
Emerald Express Dry Cleaners, 789 Lea Bridge Road, Walthamstow, Borough of Waltham Forest, London E17, 2004 • Old-school plastic plus shaky self-promotion by someone called Steven Randall.
Brookford Launderette
Brookford Launderette, 243 Neasden Lane, Neasden, Borough of Brent, London NW10, 2016 • Part of a local chain, all with no-nonsense sans serif logos.
Imperial Dry Cleaners
Imperial Dry Cleaners, 12 Blackhorse Lane, Walthamstow, Borough of Waltham Forest, London E17, 2016 • Newly-painted faux ghost signage in a regeneration area.
The Clothing Alterations Company
The Clothing Alterations Company, 5 St Martins Walk, Leicester LE1 • Ridiculously grand dry cleaner featuring Bacchus, Roman god of wine; the shop was once wine merchants John Sarson & Son, […]
Unicoat House (Stalbridge Dry Cleaners)
Unicoat House (Stalbridge Dry Cleaners), 151 Granby Street, Leicester LE1, 2016 • Golden Arts and Crafts lettering for a long-gone business competes with brash plastic signage below. It looks like the upper text was […]
The Express Cleaning & Repairing Co.
The Express Cleaning & Repairing Co., 10 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross, Borough of Islington, London N1, 2011 • Ancient emporium briefly revealed after removal of Tony’s Hemp Corner sign (see […]
Stuarts
Stuarts, 75 High Street Whitstable, Kent, 2002 (top) and 85 High Street, Herne Bay, Kent 2004 (bottom) • Flowery plastic branding carried all the way through their decor. The Whitstable branch […]
Olympic Internet Cafe
Olympic Internet Cafe, 24 West Ham Lane, Borough of Newham, London E15, 2006 • Not the most exciting shopfront, but a nice hand-painted sign with old-style phone. And just look at […]
Whirlpool
Whirlpool, 124 Battersea Park Road, Borough of Wandsworth, London SW11, 2002 • Still there but with ‘modern’ logo, boo hoo.
Public Toilets Dry Cleaning Key Cutting
Public Toilets Dry Cleaning Key Cutting, St Ages Well, Old Street Underground Station, Borough of Islington, London EC1, 2008 • A last redoubt of 1970s tubedom in a subterranean mall named after […]
Seagull Launderette
Seagull Launderette, 212 Coldharbour Lane, Borough of Lambeth, London SW9, 2015 • In the backwoods of Brixton, far from gentrification, a tiny wistful name with an elegant flourish.
Princess Dry Cleaning
Princess Dry Cleaning, 19 Wellington Row, Borough of Tower Hamlets, London E2, 2015 • Until recently the old ‘Valet Service’ sign was covered by an equally attractive 1960s plastic fascia saying Princess Laundrette (complete […]
Coin Wash (Emsworth)
Coin Wash, 1 Victoria Road, Emsworth, Hampshire, 2003 • Cute launderette, which by 2008 was looking very sad, and is now a house.
Sutton Wash House
Sutton Wash House, 2 Sutherland House, 29 Brighton Road, Sutton, Surrey, 2002 • Welcoming laundry with a Dickensian name and a logo like a car number plate. It lasted until around 2012 but now, […]
I.S. Dry Cleaners The Clothes Care Solution
I.S. Dry Cleaners The CLothes Care Solution, 34 Totteridge Lane, Whetstone, Borough of Barnet, London N20, 2011 • More retro fontage from N20. Now Ryan Dry Cleaners, which looks the […]
Diamond Laundry
Diamond Laundry, 190 Finchley Road, Borough of Camden, London NW3, 2014 • It’s getting harder to find laundries in central London these days, especially ones named after precious stones.
Hand Car Wash (Bow Road)
Hand Car Wash, Corner Bow Road & Arnold Road, Borough of Tower Hamlets, London E3, 2007 • Oops, back-to-front N alert. I had a Ferodo bridge behind me, I should […]
Home & Away Dog Grooming, Pest Clear UK Ltd
Home & Away Dog Grooming, Pest Clear UK Ltd, near […]
Same Day
Same Day, 19 Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, 2014 • I have a soft spot for these 1960s-style wood-slat signboards. This jaunty example may look like a hipster pastiche, but it’s the […]
Hill Cleaner’s
Hill Cleaner’s, 565 Green Lanes, Borough of Haringey, London N8, 2013 • Unmissable sign with an esoteric use of apostrophe. It’s not noticeably on a hill, so maybe that’s someone’s surname.
First Class Dry Cleaning
First Class Dry Cleaning, Beckenham Junction Station, Beckenham, Kent, 2010 • A power-dressing duo from David Bowie’s old stomping ground. Being mouthless, it’s apt they’re representing the rather faceless kiosk below. […]
That’s It
That’s It, 44 High Road, Finchley, Borough of Barnet, London N2, 2003 • Faded politesse and a mild yet fatalistic approach to dry cleaning in deepest North London. These old-style acrylic signs […]
Star Dry Cleaners
Star Dry Cleaners, 32 Strutton Ground, City of Wesrminster, London SW1, 2014 • Glum traditional keycutter in a cheerful traditional street market near London’s Victoria station.
H.B. Smith
H.B. Smith, 28-30 King Street, Margate, Kent, 2014 • This used to be the dowdy Ye Old Town Launderette (featured here), but now has the original “Tailor and Breeches Maker” sign […]
London Laundry
London Laundry, 120 Upper Spon Street, Coventry, West Midlands, 2013 • Part of Black Swan Terrace, a row of historic cottages that was derelict in the 1990s, and now restored to […]
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 […]
Teignmouth Parade: Terry’s News, Lloyds TSB
Terry’s News, Lloyds TSB, 4 & 3 Teignmouth Parade, Perivale, Borough […]
The Green Leaves, Violet Dry Cleaner
The Green Leaves, Violet Dry Cleaner, 106-108 Hammersmith Road, Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, London W6, 2005 • Amusing colourful duo, still there but now with modernised facades which lack the […]
Milborrow & Son Chimney Sweep
Milborrow & Son Chimney Sweep, 62 High Street, Caterham on the Hill, Caterham, Surrey, 2001 • Because sweeps are lucky at weddings. No longer there, though there’s still a national firm […]
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.
Uncle Jim’s Off Licence & Launderette
Uncle Jim’s Off Licence, Uncle Jim’s Launderette, 208 & 208a […]
Ye Olde Town Launderette
Ye Olde Town Launderette, 28-30 King Street, Margate, Kent, 2012 • Yeah, I’ll go to the launderette in the new town, thanks.
Harman’s
Harman’s Post Office & Savings Bank, Sutton Lane North, Chiswick, Borough of Hounslow, London W4, 2010 • Offering remarkably varied services, this old sign was still on display in 2012, along […]
Quality Dry Cleaning by Eric’s
One Hour Quality Dry Cleaning by Eric’s, 98 Essex Road, Borough of Islington, London N1, 2002 • Now a tasteful beige Dry Cleaning Station, not by Eric’s.
Nuit Cleaners
Nuit Cleaners, 72 Brixton Road, Oval, Borough of Lambeth, London SW9, 2001 • I keep expecting this superb name to disappear but stoically it remains.
Kelvinator Launderama
Kelvinator Launderama, 144 High Street, Caterham, Surrey, 2001 • Launderettes stay happily old-fashioned. The wood got painted blue, but the retro sign remains.
