Ghost Signs – N1/Islington area

A larger collection of my photos of ghost signs, and other things that interest me, can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/janepbr

Ghost Signs – Camden to Highgate

A larger collection of my photos of ghost signs, and other things that interest me, can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/janepbr

Ghost Signs – Central London

By 'central' I mean within or close to the Circle Line

A larger collection of my photos of ghost signs, and other things that interest me, can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/janepbr

Ghost Signs – Holloway area

A collection of pics from 2008. Captions/updates written in 2026.

The Hairdressing equipment signs face south across the railway line opposite Holloway Rd station. 

The Royal Coffee & Dining Rooms was on the side of the terrace next to St Mary Magdalene (opposite Central Library) see more info under the pic below.

Harpers of Holloway Pianos is on the other end of the block to the Hairdressing sign. 

The faded blue panel I believe to be a remnant of a sign for Western's laundry which had a shop almost below the sign. 

Plough Stables is in Hornsey Road at the rear of the pub on the corner of Tollington Park.

High Class Fruit is barely visible at all now (2026) and has been graffiti'd across its lower half.

The blue gate is in Caedmon Road, just around the corner from...

...the Piano sign at the end of Jackson Road.

The Alexandra Coffee Rooms panel is at the end of Bavaria Rd (previously Blenheim Rd).

Iron Jelloids are still being advertised (complete with prices!) opposite the Odeon on Holloway Rd.

The Army Club sign, which also displayed prices, was obliterated by a layer of render 2018/9

The side of the old chippy in Tollington Way. I never did decipher the many layers on this one. Gone c2015.

Key Flats is at the northern end of Caledonian Road, near Widdenham Rd.

Army Club (covered in render) and Royal Dining Rooms (covered in ivy). Holloway Rd, Sept 2025, c/o Google streetview

March 2026: The whole side wall of 129 Holloway Road has been rebuilt meaning the Royal Dining Rooms sign has now gone forever. Plants and flowers in the church gardens have been cut back to almost nothing and a tree has been lopped. 

I'm keen to see how this space will be be revamped.

Ghost Signs - Stoke Newington area

A larger collection of my photos of ghost signs, and other things that interest me, can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/janepbr

Ghost signs – North London

Miscellaneous signs found in Hampstead, West Hampstead, Crouch End, Stroud Green, Highbury and Finsbury Park

A larger collection of my photos of ghost signs, and other things that interest me, can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/janepbr

Hare & Hounds / Albert & Pearl ghost sign

One of my favourite local ghost signs in Islington, London N1, is on the side of what used to be The Hare and Hounds in Upper Street, advertising the garage run by S Wood & Son.

In recent years the pub was better known as The Medicine Bar. It has wonderful ornate windows at street level and a beautiful relief on the front showing dogs chasing a hare. The colour scheme was mainly cream with purple used to pick out the windows and frames.

Earlier this month I found that the pub had been given a facelift by the new owners, Albert & Pearl. The walls and the relief are now metallic grey and the frames are cream. They have also had their own name painted over the garage sign and added spotlights on the front and side of the building. Or perhaps this is only a dry-transer.

At first I thought this modern re-vamping of a ghost sign was a great idea as it has been thoughtfully and sympathetically achieved using the same colours and typefaces. Historically wall signs like this one have always been over-painted with different layers of advertisements; you can see that on the original sign that a second line of black type lettering had already been erased.

But the more I have been thinking about what has happened here, the more I am concerned for the future of the original sign, especially as it appears that the original S Wood & Son lettering has been scrubbed away to make the new name more legible. The original garage sign that has been there for decades may, in a few years’ time, disappear altogether because if Albert & Pearls’ business fails, some other company will take over the premises and, rather than have the previous occupier’s name on the side, may prefer to paint over it completely. If the old sign was still there a piece of history might have been preserved for a bit longer.

So fingers crossed Albert & Pearl… here’s to your success and prosperity…

A larger collection of my photos of ghost signs, and other things that interest me, can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/janepbr