Urban Sightseeing: #10 Smoke gets in your eyes

Craven “A” metal sign, Camden Road, NW1

NEXT »

 

Today marks a whole two years since the smoking ban was introduced here. Despite the initial protestations and subversive acts of defiance it has become normal to ‘pop outside for a fag’. And there are some benefits related to smoking; smokers get more exercise than non-smokers as they have get off their backsides every now and then to go outside to the recently-discovered beer garden where they meet new friends and moan about the rain as they huddle around environmentally-unfriendly heaters. Also, smokers can use their habit to get away from awkward situations and dull conversations; if inside, they can make an excuse to go outside for a fag. Likewise, once outside, they can head back inside because it’s too cold or hot out there!

Shown here is a collection of old signage relating to smoking. Other larger and more obvious examples would be The Carreras Factory, or the large brick ads for Black Cat Cigarettes and Craven "A".

Previous Urban Sightseeing posts: #1 Gasometers; #2 Fashion; #3 Cinemas; #4 Chemists; #5 Pawnbrokers; #6 Foreign travel; #7 St George’s Day; #8 Bicycles; #9 Expenses and Politics.

You can see more of Jane's London photo collections, covering everything from boot scrapers to weather vanes, over at Janeslondon and Jane's Flickrstream.