The recent closure of Taste of China, a popular restaurant in Harrow, has inadvertently led to the unearthing of a forgotten piece of local history.
As workers began dismantling the restaurant’s signage in preparation for a potential new establishment in Harrow Town Centre, they stumbled upon remnants of the past that had remained concealed for over four decades.
The discovery occurred when the old signage, belonging to former shops that occupied the same space in the early 1980s, was unveiled. The faded letters and weathered colours harkened back to a bygone era, transporting locals on a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
NW London Time Machine, a community-focused Twitter account known for sharing historical tidbits, quickly seized the opportunity to showcase this unexpected find. They tweeted images of the uncovered signage, shedding light on the ghosts of shops long forgotten. According to their post, Bata, a chain of shoe shops, and John Storm, a once-thriving hair salon, were among the businesses that once graced Eastern Parade on Station Road in Harrow.
“The ghosts of old shop signage spotted on Eastern Parade, Station Road, Harrow,” NW London Time Machine tweeted. “Bata was a chain of shoe shops, and John Storm was a hairdressers.”
The Twitter account continued by sharing an intriguing detail: “The old shops were joined together, along with a further one back in 1983, to create a Chinese restaurant that has recently been closed down.”
This revelation piqued the interest of the community igniting conversations about Harrow’s evolving landscape and the narratives hidden within its walls. Residents who frequented the Chinese restaurant were now able to peer into the past and imagine the bustling activity that once took place in the now-vacant space. We are eagerly awaiting to see what will occupy this unit when it reopens again, word is that it could be a new restaurant, only time will tell.
The unexpected uncovering of the old shop signage serves as a gentle reminder that even in the face of change, the stories of our communities endure, awaiting their turn to be rediscovered.
