Here's the adjoining panel (dull day)
- and, below, getting covered up again. They had the glass in that panel uncovered for about 3 nanoseconds and I missed it.
And here's what it used to look like (1935, courtesy Virtual Mitchell).........
We had a neighbour notification about a planning application to turn the previously covered panels back into windows, responded pointing out that as it's in a conservation area (
) according to the City Plan the shops should be reinstating 'traditional' type fronts. After the work started some neighbours had a nosey in there when the panels inside had been pulled off. The very helpful workmen invited them in for a look, because there in all its glory was the stained glass and signage from the 1935 pic (not very photographable though because it was all still covered over on the outside).
The workmen's instructions were to smash it all out.... but they were rather sad about it. Neighbours leapt into action, got on to the conservation and planning people, net result, agreement by the people having the work done to leave it all place, boarded in again on both sides. So their new window openings end up smaller than originally intended. Apparently they weren't thrilled.
A reasonable result, I suppose (not least because I have to wonder how long lovely stained glasswork would last), but it's a long way from traditional shop fronts. I won't be patronising the shop.