A gap in Leathermarket St - surely not.

Bellway Homes were partly responsible for the re-invention of Bermondsey Street through their redevelopment of what was the British Telecom depot on Leathermarket Street. The development, designed by architects CZWG, was heavily advertised in the Evening Standard with illustrations showing a couple, in evening dress, dancing the night away.  Wishful thinking for Bermondsey in the early 1990s! However, the advertising raised Bermondsey's profile and marked the start of the mainstream development of Bermondsey. Today, the phrase 'a gap in Leathermarket St' would raise howls of protest about multi-nationals paying no tax but 'back in the day' there were other types of 'gap' in Leathermarket St.

From memory, the Bellway development was originally intended to carry on to the south, through to Long Lane. The owner of the adjacent industrial site (was the company called Dairymaid?) would not sell so the resultant Bellway scheme was rather more limited than the original vision.

A gap in Leathermarket St!

Before the construction of 105 Bermondsey St

During the conversion of Britz Brothers/Hepburn & Gale, Long Lane.

When Blue Lion Court was another antiques warehouse.

Just before the infill at the junction of Tyers Gate and Bermondsey St

Bermondsey Wall. Now a completely impossible view.

Blue Lion Court on Long Lane

Originally a cheque clearing operation for one of the major banks, Blue Lion Court was bought by one of the 'new wave' developers in the mid 1990s. Terry Pomroy of Callington Estates was one of the earliest developers to come into Bermondsey and look to use the live/work approach to move otherwise empty buildings into development. Callington's first building was Gemini House where the initial application was rejected by the planners and then rejigged around live/work to gain planning approval.

Callington developed 4 Tanner St and also bought Blue Lion Court, achieving a successful planning approval and sold the project on.

Blue Lion Court prior to its redevelopment ©Niall Connolly

Interior view in Blue Lion Court ©Niall Connolly

Interior view in Blue Lion Court ©Niall Connolly

The panorama below was made standing on the fire escape on the north elevation of Blue Lion Court. At the time of making the panorama, none of the major developments had taken place. The Rankins building is in the process of being redeveloped as is the Guidelines Stores building but the GIFCO building is unchanged as is Bickel's Yard. In the foreground of the panorama is the RECALL building, now occupied by the White Cube Gallery.

North 180 from Lion Court ©Niall Connolly