Former Locarno, Streatham Hill
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Former Locarno, Streatham Hill by Stephen Richards as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk

Image: © Stephen Richards Taken: Unknown
The symmetrical block which includes shops and flats was designed by Trehearne and Norman Preston and Co in a neo-Georgian style. The Locarno ballroom opened in 1929. In later incarnations it was the "Cat's Whiskers", "The Ritz" and "The Studio". It is now "Caesar's", and the dancing therein would probably make the founders of the Locarno blush. It is within the Streatham High Road and Streatham Hill Conservation Area. The course of Streatham High Road has been a major highway between London and Sussex since Roman times. Its current appearance is largely attributable to two major spells of development. The first was during the late C19th following the opening of Streatham Hill station in 1856, and the second was after 1911 when the line to Victoria was electrified. Though much-maligned and undoubtedly blighted by heavy traffic, closer examination reveals that the road is lined with a number of interesting buildings, some of which reflect the period between the wars when Streatham was a fashionable centre of entertainment. Information from Lambeth Council (http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/exeres/CE4B5CE1-0387-40ED-B5A9-273A5160C34A.htm ).