Crystal Palace: former Palace Hotel, Church Road, 1993

Image: © Christopher Hilton Taken: 28 Nov 1993

I took this picture in 1993 because the hoardings appearing around the former Palace Hotel (and the closure of the little shops on the ground floor) suggested that it might soon be demolished. In fact, it has subsequently been redeveloped and shops (and a Chinese restaurant) once again occupy the ground floor, with flats (still not particularly swish) on the floors above. Notice the traffic in the foreground heading northwards: since the early 2000s the roads in the Crystal Palace Triangle have been one-way and only southbound traffic uses this street. The distant zebra crossings mark the roads entering the roundabout that at this time controlled the junction at the top of Anerley Hill - this is now (2012) a crossroads controlled by traffic lights.

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