Park Lane Junction With Wembley High Road

A Memory of Wembley.

Oh yes I can recall this photograph really well.

I was born in Logan Road, just off Preston Road and my mother and family visited Wembley High Road to frequently. Just before I married in 1971 the site of that large tower block was once the grounds of a church; cannot remember its denomination, but it was a sizeable church and had its own private grounds. On the corner of Park Lane, immediately opposite was the National Provincial Bank.

The church was subsequently demolished and its remains burnt by the demolition company, and the structure shown in the photograph then built. I can recall the Dixon's Camera Shop and I believe immediately next-door was one of the first 'Tandy Electronic Stores'. Immediately around the corner was (I believe) one of the first Tesco Stores, circa 1972 ??

I recall this store as my new wife and I once shopped there, where everything was piled high on pallets or in the original transportation boxes or crates. I recall this store as they had a 'cheese and cold meat' counter and I clearly recall a member of staff holding a huge block of cheddar cheese with no protection and then using the cheese to open a set of swing-doors into the store behind the counter. Really did put me off.

Opposite that corner was the 'Majestic Cinema' one of three in Wembley and doubtless the best. It had a lovely ball-room above the auditorium and big bands such as Victor Sylvestor often played there. It was also the only cinema in Wembley that offered 'Saturday Morning Matinees' for I believe 6d when I was a young boy in 1955/57.

Sadly this wonderful cinema was demolished by a demolition company named 'Valori' I can recall the demolition men starting by destructing the lovely copper-done on top of the building and within a couple of weeks the entire site had been totally flattened !

It was replaced by a C&A's store with another shop alongside named 'Maddisons'.

This then left only two Wembley cinemas - The Regal in Ealing Road and the 'Flea Pit' a little further up from the good old Majestic.

I also recall the tremendous reconstruction of Wembley Central Railway Station - a very big change for Wembley High Road. The old station was a warm and friendly place with a decent atmosphere; this was then developed into a concrete jungle of dark and uninviting platforms, with cold and obnoxious drafts along its platforms.

However, i do recall the lovely 'Yorkshire Fish Restaurant' that was on the lower level to Wembley High Road. You had to descent about three flights of stairs to reach it and they most certainly fried the best fish and chips in town. Probably because they fried in 'Dripping' and not oil. I loved their produce and once working in Alperton, I used to cycle every day in my lunchtime to eat in their small restaurant, I was such a good customer I had a free meal in there once a week ! Oh Happy, Happy Days.

Wembley High Road in the late 1950's and early 1960's was a fascinating place. On the corner of Wembley High Road and London Road, was the site of the original Wembley Town Hall. How many of you remember this place? I climbed (or broke into) this place after it had long closed and we scoured the rooms of the building and even climbed right up onto the dome at the top, overlooking all of Wembley High Road. This building was subsequently unceremoniously demolished and became - 'British Home Stores'

Killips and Blands were both departmental store on the high street and my mother worked for Blands for several years in the 1940's

Woolworth's store was almost opposite Marks & Spencers and there was a famous tobacconists shop on the corner of St. Johns Road.

Trolleybuses ran right through Wembley High Road to their depot at Stonebridge Park.