Back blogging!

Wow, that was a long summer break! Must try harder in future - and if I find time to do some "catch up" posts about some of the places and things I've seen since August...

Deptford Misc

A quick mention of Bill Ellson's new Deptford Misc blog which has already featured posts on the Dog and Bell pub, Beau Geste author (and Deptfordian) PC Wren and the fate of the New Cross Building Society. Welcome Bill!

Tesco comes to Town

Walking past the new retail unit at the south east end of the High Street (where Learndirect used to be sited) this evening I did a double take at the various Tesco signs in the windows, and a planning application notice. Checking the Lewisham Planning site confirmed that a Tesco Express is on the way to Deptford High Street.

Whilst not a particular fan of Tesco - I find their customer service is the poorest of all the major supermarkets, rarely if ever getting Green Clubcard Points for bag reuse even when I point this out (rant over) - hopefully it will provide Iceland with a bit of competition in this area without affecting the welcome variety of smaller stores on our local High Street.

Shelter Signs: West End

As promised, more old Second World War shelter signs, this time from the West End. Although all of these are at eye level they are much harder to spot than their Deptford equivalents, being a fraction of the size and badly weathered. Fortunately I had the very informative book London's War by Sayre Van Young to help guide me. All of these signs point down to vaults and basements...

At 25 Longmoore Street Pimlico (stretching the definition of "West End" a bit):

And just down the way at 36 Longmoore Street:

To save straining your eyes, (I think) it reads "public shelters in vaults under pavements in this street".

Moving on to between 42 and 48 Brook Street, near Grosvenor Square:

And at 72 Brook Street:

And similarly at 43 Upper Brook Street:

St. Paul's Sinfonia on Tour

It's the final concert of the season for St. Paul's Sinfonia on Sunday, and the first away from Deptford - at the Broadway Theatre, Catford. Culminating in Beethoven's ninth symphony, it's an event no Lewisham based music lover should miss!

Shelter Signs Revisited

Recently I've been seeking out more of London's old air raid shelter signs that haven't quite faded into history. To start with thanks to Caroline for finding this small one at the south end of Deptford High Street back in January. The inscribed stone above reads "Elizabeth Place 1811" - follow this link for a close up. For other old shelter signs around the High Street, see my original post. More from central London to follow.

The Deptford Mounties

Returning from work via Deptford station last Wednesday evening I was startled by the unexpected sound of hooves on tarmac. Took a glance behind me and sure enough there were two mounted police slowly proceeding down the High Street... eventually taking up position outside the Deptford Arms, on Reginald Road. Seemed a bit odd really and I don't recall any mounted police in the area before. Granted it was the night of the Champions League final but surely the two events weren't connected - I'm pretty sure there aren't that many Man U, and even fewer Barca fans, in SE8! Or perhaps they were just following up that notorious Daily Mail slight on Deptford...