A Neon Junkyard

On Friday, having spent the morning at the allotment, OH and I decided to dedicate the afternoon to doing something that LB wanted to do.  On the list she'd made at the beginning of the summer holidays, was to visit God's Own Junkyard in Walthamstow, East London.

I'd never actually heard of this place before we visited, but took a look at the website at godsownjunkyard.co.uk to get an idea where it was. The website convinced me that it was worth a visit and it most definitely was.  We decided to go by bike, as it's probably about 3 miles from where we live and much of the journey can be done on designated off road cycle paths. It's not the easiest place to find, being on an industrial estate in E17, but is definitely worth seeking out.

It is a gallery/cafe that showcases the work of neon artist Chris Bracey, who sadly died quite recently. His signs have been used to entice people into notorious sex shops in Soho, shown in galleries, used in magazine photo shoots and Hollywood movies and this is a fantastic collection of beautiful craftsmanship, some of which can be purchased or hired for special events.  It is an amazing place. An absolute off the beaten track gem. When I stepped inside, it felt like being back in Las Vegas.

I took heaps of photographs of the walls, which were adorned with amazing neon and other lit signs. Here's a selection.

After having a good look around, we sat out the back in a beautifully shaded courtyard, to have a drink and a piece of cake.  There's room to sit and eat inside too or outside at the front, but it was a steaming hot day and the shady courtyard was perfect after our bike ride.

We had a great afternoon out, definitely a good choice by LB. A great little place to take guests when they come to visit.