EPW035548 ENGLAND (1931). Burnt Oak Railway Station, Watling Avenue and Hendon Aerodrome, Burnt Oak, 1931

I remember the store well; stack 'em high and sell em cheap! This first Tesco store was opened in 1929 I believe, and within ten years Jack Cohen had opened about 90 Tesco shops across London and the home counties. They didn't do supermarkets until well after the war but here again Burnt Oak may claim to have led as in 1952 the Boots branch at 73 Burnt Oak Broadway became one of the first self service pharmacies. It resulted in a court case: Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain v Boots Cash Chemists (Southern) Ltd. [1952]

LOCATION OF 1ST TESCO STORE IN BURNT OAK

September 1931 Jack Cohen made an offer for his first Tesco store at 54 Watling Avenue. He bought the site with a mortgage.This shop was half of a fruit shop. When he first started selling in Burnt Oak groceries were auctioned in bundles like market traders. A new employee thought they should have everything on show in pyramids.

Tesco was still listed as at 54 Watling Avenue in 1952/53 (Hendon Directory). This Tesco store later became Burnards Stores (Grocers) & was next to Sam Cooke (Fruiterers) in 1959/60 (Hendon Directory).

So the first Tesco store was not at 9 Watling Avenue. It may have moved there later though.

It is indeed the site of a very fine London Co-op store which was built about 1936. The building still stands as a Peacock store at ground level, and has been beautifully refurbished with apartments above.

So pleased to see an appreciation of this example of art deco. It was in fact built a little after the new station building was completed in 1930. It does give that end of the Watling a different feel doesn't it?

Mill Hill public school.

The building was designed by Sir William Tite and is of a similar style to the Royal Exchange building in London, which he also designed.



He also designed many early railway stations.

I think it was the Bald Faced Stag selling Charrington's beer. Walked and drove past it many times in the 1960's. There was a bus stop outside.