Peta Bridle’s Shops

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

In her latest series of drawings done on location, Peta Bridle has cast her attention upon shops.

Her exhibition DRAWN TO LONDON opens this Wednesday 26th February and runs until Tuesday 25th March at the Back To Ours Cafe, Good Shepherd Building, 15A Davies Lane, Leytonstone, E11 3RR. 7:30am – 4pm daily.

Leadenhall Market, City of London

The ironwork of Horace Jones’ fine 1881 market building is painted red and cream with dragons on the top, and lit by large glass lamps. Built as a poultry market, the last butcher closed just ten years ago.

Leadenhall has been a centre of trade for centuries with a lead-roofed market building standing here since 1321. Beneath the market are the remains of the Roman forum where commercial and legal business were conducted. Ruins of the forum may be visited in the basement of one of the shops today.

Gardners’ Bags, Leyton

Paul Gardner’s family ran their market sundries shop in Commercial St, Spitalfields from 1870 until just before the pandemic when they relocated to Leyton. Plastic bags hang like bunting overhead and rolls of fluorescent stickers are stacked on the original wooden counter. Paul stands with a large set of green scales in front of him and his old greengrocers’ fruit and vegetable signs displayed behind. It is always a pleasure to visit the charismatic Paul Gardner, the paper bag baron of the East End.

Citywear Independent Gent’s Outfitters, Wentworth St

Citywear Independent Gent’s Outfitters is on a corner in Petticoat Lane Market. Broken lettering clings to the faded black-painted brickwork and rails of clothing are wheeled in and out every day. In recent years, a fashionable speakeasy known as ‘Discount Suit Company’ has opened in the basement serving cocktails.

Arber & Co Ltd, Printers & Stationers, Roman Rd

I met Gary Arber some years ago at his shop. In the basement, down a flight of stairs, was the family print works which had operated since 1897. The glass cabinets in the shop, from when they once sold toys, were stuffed full of paper and notepads, pens and books, and there was string hanging down from the ceiling and boxes of paper stacked in every available space. Note the old Scalextric poster stuck to the front of the wooden counter. Gary retired in 2014, his shop is no more and last time I passed it had become a nail bar.

A1 Car Care Centre, Bethnal Green

Located off Three Colts Lane in Bethnal Green is the A1 Car Care Centre. Hand painted signage in bold blue type on yellow brickwork advertises their services – Tyres! Punctures! Tracking! Servicing!

W G Ford, Poyser St, Bethnal Green

Just an old metal sign left on the wall reveals that this was once the workshop of W.G. Ford Sheet Metal & Steelworkers. I love all the beautiful textures, the graffiti covered brickwork of the railway arch, the cobbled and uneven setts in the road, and the corrugated iron walls.

Bonners Fish Bar, Walthamstow

I made this drawing from across the road. Whilst I was there, people were coming along to admire the new painting by Banksy of two hungry pelicans helping themselves to fish that he did as part of his animal series in 2024.

Tile Mart, Hackney

This beautiful old premises was once a buildings materials supplier. I love the faded paintwork with its fragmentary signage.

MA Soda Ltd, Brixton Market

This busy greengrocer is located in the indoor market. Painted bright green and yellow, a giraffe adorns one side of the doorway and tree branches reach over the other. While I was drawing, the display was constantly changing as fruit and vegetables disappeared into baskets, and new boxes were opened and produce restocked.

Manze’s Pie & Mash, Deptford

Drawn during the last week of trading after more than a century, there was a continual flow of customers and well-wishers. A man told me he remembered sitting on his mother’s knee in Manze’s when he was three. ‘It’s in the blood,’ he told me, ‘It’s important we don’t forget places like this. I am eighty now and I’ve come today with my son.’ The shopfront is green with a black glass sign and gold lettering while white letters on the window declare ‘Meal in a Moment – Manze’s Meat Pies – All Made Daily.’

Manze’s Pie & Mash, Deptford

Manze’s was founded between 1890 and 1914 by Michele Manze who came from Italy in 1878. Until January of this year it was ran by his grandson George Manze until he retired. I sat at the back to sketch the comings and goings while George served his customers at the front. The building is Grade II listed, with an interior lined with marble-topped tables and wooden high-back benches and tiled walls. It was always a popular place to eat before Millwall matches.

Medici Gallery, South Kensington

The Medici Gallery is a greetings card gallery which has traded from this shop since the thirties and every month the window has a beautiful new display. After almost century, this celebrated landmark is now being evicted as part of the redevelopment of South Kensington Station and the handsome Victorian terrace will be facaded. When I visited last summer the window celebrated Van Gogh and his sunflowers.

Medici Gallery, South Kensington

The basement kitchen is full of recycled and salvaged treasures with a window looking onto a tiny garden painted in bright colours, full of pots, parrots, lights and ornaments, which customers can peek down into from above through a skylight.

Word On The Water, London Book Barge, Regent’s Canal, Kings Cross

This is a floating bookshop housed inside a twenties Dutch barge near Granary Sq. New and used books are displayed on shelves, both on deck and below. Inside the boat there are comfortable sofas where you can sit and browse while viewing ducks swimming past at eye level. I sat on the towpath to draw while a trumpeter played jazz up on deck.

Lisle Street, Chinatown

The curve of Lisle Street is filled with Chinese restaurants, cafes and a supermarket. Red lanterns strung across the street bob in the breeze sending their gold tails fluttering. It was busy with tourists and tradespeople but somehow I managed to find a space for my little stool while I did this drawing.

 

Chinese cakes

A selection of cakes from bakeries in Chinatown. The top two moon cakes represent family reunions and happiness when families gather to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Taiyaki, the fish-shaped cake, is made of made of pancake batter and filled with azuki paste (sweetened red beans). After I had done my drawing, I got to eat my still life with a cup of tea.

Drawings copyright © Peta Bridle

Follow Peta Bridle on Instagram

You may also like to take a look at

Peta Bridle’s City Churches

Peta Bridle’s London Viewpoints

Peta Bridle’s East End Sketchbook

Peta Bridle’s Riverside Sketchbook

Peta Bridle’s Gravesend Sketchbook

Peta Bridle’s City of London Sketchbook

Peta Bridle’s New Etchings

Peta Bridle’s Latest Drypoint Etchings

Peta Bridle River Etchings

Peta Bridle’s Watery London

Peta’s exhibition is open from from Wednesday 26th February until Tuesday 25th March, the Back To Ours Cafe, Good Shepherd Building, 15A Davies Lane, Leytonstone, E11 3RR.