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

The White Cube Gallery

Last weekend I visited Bermondsey Street and, thanks to 'running man', found out that the White Cube was taking over the ex-Recall warehouse as a gallery space for the next 15 years. The site was originally (late 1800s) a 5 or 6 storey warehouse in the style of the Shiva building (originally Tempo Leatherworks). In the mid 1970s a warehouse was built on the site which originally housed the Radio Times Distribution Centre. The building was empty for some years until (from memory) 1992 when it was taken over by 'Sol Beer', the people who invented the slice of lime in the neck. Sol went bust in the mid 1990s and the building was taken over by Recall.

In 1979, Denyer Associates envisaged a more open courtyard than the one that was built and, some 40 years later, the White Cube will open the yard out to embrace the street.