Urban Sightseeing: #10 Smoke gets in your eyes

By Janeslondon Last edited 176 months ago
Urban Sightseeing: #10 Smoke gets in your eyes
Marshall, importer of segars, Finsbury Park, N4
Marshall, importer of segars, Finsbury Park, N4
Craven “A†metal sign, Camden Road, NW1
Craven “A” metal sign, Camden Road, NW1
A. E. Barrow, Chatsworth Road, E5
A. E. Barrow, Chatsworth Road, E5
Denmark Hill, SE5
Denmark Hill, SE5
Newsagent, Highbury Park N5
Newsagent, Highbury Park N5
Tea rooms, Highgate Hill, N6
Tea rooms, Highgate Hill, N6
Army Club cigarettes ad, Holloway Road, N7. Similar Army Club ghost signs can be found in Stamford Hill and above M&S, Muswell Hill Broadway.
Army Club cigarettes ad, Holloway Road, N7. Similar Army Club ghost signs can be found in Stamford Hill and above M&S, Muswell Hill Broadway.
The Lighthouse Tobacconist, Markhouse Road, E17
The Lighthouse Tobacconist, Markhouse Road, E17
Strand, WC2
Strand, WC2
Rene’s, The Vale, W3
Rene's, The Vale, W3

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.

Last Updated 02 July 2009