Brunswick House – LASSCO

It’s easy to understand why you might miss Brunswick House as it stands now, on the corner between Wandsworth Rd and Nine Elms Lane, it’s covered in advertising hoardings, completely disguising the building’s façade as it was. I think they may also be covering the building while restoration work is going on, but either way it looks terrible. You can see some photos from 1999 where the building is still visible, and they’re demolishing the famous Nine Elms Cold Store*

Anyhow, this only makes what you find inside all the more exciting!. Brunswick House is one of the locations of LASSCO (The London Architectural Salvage and Supply Co. Ltd.) and 3 floors of this 18th C building are treasure troves of reclaimed architectural pieces and interiors. Cast iron baths, Chemists’ display cases, stuffed birds, chandeliers, 40s kitchen cabinets, Victorian tiles, Botanical engravings, pub bar stools, doors and fireplaces… It feels like half shop, half museum as everything is expertly displayed and there are friendly chaps in hopsack aprons who, when they’re not restoring, polishing or whatnot in the back, are happy to chat to you. Well worth a vist, in fact I may well suggest this to I Like on their trip to London…

*Apparently the largest cold storage facility in London, for meats, cheese and butter. For some reason as a child I thought rich ladies stored their fur coats in it to prevent moths… where on earth did I get that bit of disinformation from? Mum?

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