It’s time to discover God’s Own Junkyard, the fabulous warehouse tucked away in Walthamstow.
Of all the random spots London has to offer, few are as cool as this one.
But what is it? Umm, the words visual feast, neon paradise and hella crazy kaleidoscopic dream spring to mind, just for starters. Add to that a totally ‘grammable setup and punny signs, and we’re sold. Of course, we don’t expect you to take our word for it, take a peek yourself.
Why visit
Did the pictures not convince you? OK, we’ll break it down a bit more.
If you haven’t already seen images plastered over the internet, this is a Walthamstow warehouse filled to the brim with signs, a collection to rival the world’s best. It costs an estimated £3,000 a month just to keep it all lit.
The warehouse exists to display neon signs that are completely unique, and are available to rent or purchase. Renting and buying isn’t a cheap affair, but that shouldn’t stop you window shopping. Signs hang on every inch of the walls and are even stacked on the floor, ranging from cheeky catchphrases to images and a combination of both.
The best bit? Wandering around is totally free. We’d recommend heading there early, though, TikTok and Instagram have played a real role in the huge increase in footfall over recent years. Sneak in and out before the crowds arrive.
A potted history
The business behind all this neon has a genuinely interesting history, and it starts a long way from Walthamstow, in the coal pits of Monmouthshire, Wales.
Richard “Dick” Bracey got bored of mining and moved to London, where he founded the sign business Electro Signs in 1952. His work survives to this day on signs for Raymond Revuebar and Walthamstow Stadium.
His son Chris Bracey took over in the 1970s, quickly earning the nicknames “the neon man” and, later, “the godfather of neon.” He partnered with Paul Raymond, then dubbed “the King of Soho,” convincing nightclub and strip club owners across the area to swap their red lights for full colour, transforming Soho’s after-dark look in the process.
The actual “God’s Own Junkyard” as a space came later, in 1978, when Chris’s own growing personal collection, some of it his own work, some rescued from the scrapheap, needed somewhere to live. Even then, what’s on display only ever represented a fraction of everything he’d made. The name itself is a genuinely good story, borrowed from the title of a 1963 book by the architectural writer Peter Blake, which used the phrase to criticise the visual mess of neon signs and billboards across America. Bracey took the insult and turned it into a badge of pride.
The collection nearly didn’t survive to see its current home. At one point the land the original yard sat on was sold to property developers, and Bracey had to move his entire collection with nowhere confirmed to take it, a genuinely uncertain moment that eventually led to the current site on the Ravenswood Industrial Estate.
Hollywood found Chris not long after his Soho years, and he went on to make signs and props for directors including Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan and Stanley Kubrick, with his work appearing in films from Blade Runner to four separate Batman films, Eyes Wide Shut and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. His work has also found its way in front of the likes of Kate Moss, Lady Gaga and the Beckhams over the years.
Chris Bracey died in 2014, after a battle with prostate cancer, but he left behind an overwhelming number of signs during his life, a great many of which can still be found here today. The business is now run by his wife Linda and sons Marcus, Matthew and Max, keeping the collection, and the lights, going.
The London x London Take: the £3,000-a-month electricity bill is the detail that sticks with us, it’s a genuinely absurd number for what started as a family sign-writing business, and it tells you everything about the scale of what Chris Bracey actually built here.
How to get there
You’ll find it at Unit 12, Ravenswood Industrial Estate, Shernhall Street, Walthamstow.
The easiest way is to hop off at Walthamstow Central Station, from there it’s a short walk to the industrial estate. Take St Mary Road all the way to the end, then turn right into Shernhall Street, and you’ll soon see it on your right.
Opening hours
If you’re looking for something to do on the weekend, this is the perfect activity, in fact, that’s the only time it’s open. There’s something about the fact that it’s only open at weekends that adds to its out-of-the-ordinary charm.
Friday and Saturday: 11am to 10pm
Sunday: 11am to 6pm
If you’re after the Rolling Scones Cafe on the premises, it’s open all weekend and serves a wonderful variety of food and drinks.
Final thoughts
God’s Own Junkyard is one of those places you simply have to see for yourself. It’s one of London’s more unusual spots and somewhere we’d recommend seeing at least once.
Who knows, you might even find a piece to brighten up your home, though we’ll warn you, like all well-crafted art, they don’t come cheap.
Looking for more quirky things to do in London?
- London’s Quirkiest Spots
- Mayfair’s Hidden Den of Iniquity
- This Hauntingly Beautiful South London Cemetery
