Last Sunday 28th July I went to Leadenhall Market to have a mooch and around Judy's Vintage Fair, a which occasionally uses this marvelous space as a selling space for bric-a-brac, furniture, clothes and more.
Usually, on a weekend, the only people you see here are large groups Harry Potter fans on a guided tour hearing how a shop here is the inspiration for, or a location used in one of the movies (hands up that I haven't a clue about all this, having never read any of the books and I fell asleep during the first movie). As I headed out of the market via Bull's Head Passage I noticed that the name on that shop has changed. It most definitely was not called 2i's the last time I was there.
Some girls were taking snaps and I asked if this was the name used in the book/film. They said yes. I suggested that this shop has recently been renamed to echo the book, which is interesting because 2i's was the name of a popular café in Old Compton Street, Soho, back in the 1950s through to the 70s. See here.
I went on to enlighten them that Platform 9 and 3/4 at Kings Cross Station as a portal in the HP book(s) also has connections with London's history – it was there that Boudicca was said to have died after fighting her last battle. I don't think they really understood what I was on about.
Ah but no. I think they misunderstood me, as it turns out that 2i's is an opticians. I dunno, perhaps it's also a Harry Potter reference. I am losing the will to live here!
Further along this narrow street, at No.4, is one of my favorite little details in the market and it's this mosaic doorway threshold which is reflected in the mirror to the side and the glass within the door:
This was Baylin's Tobacco Stores, here from the 1920s. The shop is listed in the 1939 directly but I am unaware if the business continued after WW2. Do let me know if you have any further info.
I crossed over Gracechurch Street and went for a wander around the streets around Cornhill. I'll leave it there for now.
