63 Putney High Street at risk
It’s rather depressing to note that No 63 Putney High Street (the building where the now defunct Paperchase was housed) has had protection from demolition denied.It’s depressing because the building is one of the few of any distinction in the street: just travel up and down PHS on the upper floor of a bus and you can see how little of value there is. The upper floors in particular on No.63 are distictly Arts and Crafts – and Putney Society featured the building in May 2019, explaining that it was built in 1906 for Lilley & Skinner to designs by Arthur Sykes. Sykes was a “versatile architect responding to the booming economy, Sykes could design huge classical retail premises for example in Kensington and Holborn. He designed King’s Parade in the centre of Acton in 1903 in an Art Nouveau style and later experimented with even more fanciful styles in Palmers Green. We’re proud to have our own Arthur Sykes building!”But now, Historic England have recommended against the DCMS adding it to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest and saying that a Certificate of Immunity from Listing (COI) should be issued for it. What this would mean is that if the owners choose, there’s nothing anyone can do to stop them. The last resort is to appeal to Michael Gove, SofS for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and I urge that anyone who would like to see No.63 survive, should write to him at michael.gove.mp@parliament.uk
Richard Carter ● 605d12 Comments