2008-07-01- 85

The Barkers building in London's Kensington High Street.
Formerly Barkers Department Store this building is now predominantly given over to offices with an arcade of shops on the ground food.
The building is something of an icon, and very characteristic (to my mind) of the way that department stores were viewed in the interwar years. The store suffered a long decline and finally closed in 2006. The nearer store is the former Derry and Toms building, this had a similar history, although the store closed in the early 1970's.