IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Holland Road, LONDON, SE25 5QT

From Stanger Road

Another casualty in the decline of the English pub. At the time of the photo, it appeared to be in the process of conversion to residential use. A solid Italianate building with a parapet surmounted by two reclining greyhounds. Clearly no-one has bothered to inform them of the pub's sad demise.

The Rastarant, sadly, now (end 2010) seems to have closed, so this snatched shot out of a moving car is probably the best I'll ever get of it: I meant to go back and shoot it properly, but never made the time, alas. Still, this records it, even if in a rather drunken fashion.

Portland Road in South Norwood forms part of the route of the A215.

This house on 167 Portland Road, used to be the Gladstone Public House. See http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/15/15328/Gladstone/South_Norwood for an image when it was a pub.

Looking towards Portland Road.

Closed (in September 2000) former public house on 152 Portland Road. It was once the 'Prince of Denmark'.

Portland Road is not an affluent area by a long way, and that seems to have meant that a lot of the shops in it were never subjected to expensive, trendy makeovers. Launderettes, as a type, seem particularly prone to lasting in their original form, presumably because if you have no washing machine you need to get your clothes washed somewhere whatever, and aren't swayed into impulse visits by trendy marketing. This establishment lasted well into the 21st century with its pre-1971, pre-decimal coinage signage unchanged - this photograph was taken in summer 2005 - but underwent a makeover a couple of years later and then closed not long after, in what I tend to see as a just punishment for robbing us of this historic frontage. See also Image, Image, Image and Image For a similar tin advertising sign see Image; the sign here was removed at some point before spring 2015.