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It’s a bad time for the character of London’s soul. From Dusty 7s comes the shocking news that the Village Garage in Bloomsbury is closed and boarded up. This great art deco survivor had been cheerfully pumping petrol from a corner of Store Street – itself lined with independent shops and cafés – since 1926, and was thought to be the oldest petrol station in London. It looked like an enlarged version of something found in a model village. I only filled up there once. Remarkably, It wasn’t self service – and I can’t be entirely sure that the chap who came out of the tiny office wasn’t in a brown store coat and smoking a pipe. According to The Londonist The congestion charge has caused a drop in business, and the lease expired on June 6th. Presumably we can look forward to more flats on the site. Ho hum.
(picture from Mike Smith – a lesson learned – I never took a picture while I had a the chance)
Ten-Inch Wheels 