Postby GSLondon » Thu Sep 08, 2022 11:11 pm
I have memories of Tumonte House and the old hostel surviving well into the late 1990s, albeit hidden behind hoarding for many years. One of them may have even served as the site office for the construction of the awfully-named More London as one of its last uses before demolition, though I could be mistaken on that score — as if often the case with the greedy developers, one minute something is there, give it another minute and something else has taken its place, all majestically appearing as the hoarding is taken down!
At the risk of digressing slightly, it is sad and depressing how much life has been ripped out of Tooley Street - the homeless hostel, the Bethel estate, the industry, working men’s pubs, proper cafes, all now long gone - just to be replaced by glass boxes and a transient community of highly-paid professional types whose whims, wants and needs prevail. Sadly this isn’t limited to Tooley Street but spreads throughout Bermondsey. Anyway, sorry for digressing!
Keep up the great work, Kiwi!