Art Deco, Travels

Art Deco buildings in Long Eaton

On Saturday, 13 September I’m doing the second of my Nottingham Art Deco architecture tours for Art Deco Society UK. As I write, there are just 3 tickets remaining. I’d recommend joining ADSUK if you love all things Deco, and you will receive a discount on their events.

Nottingham: Art Deco in the Details, 2 pm, Saturday 13, September 2025. 

Since I’ve followed up my interest in Art Deco architecture, I’ve been looking for it everywhere I go. After taking note of Long Eaton’s Fothergill building, we headed to the other end of the High Street to find the former Burton shop. If you’ve been on any of my Art Deco walks in Nottingham, you’ll know that I am a bit obsessed with the shops built by Montague Burton The Tailor of Taste. The one in Long Eaton was opened in 1935 in a hail of hyperbolic publicity. 

The Long Eaton Advertiser, Friday, December 6, 1935 waxed lyrical about the “mammoth building” which “stands like a crystal palace, glistening in the sunshine and adding dignity to Long Eaton’s shopping centre.”

“Montague Burton buildings are easily recognisable throughout the country by the originality and beauty of their design, but now the palace is stamped and sealed with Neon Sign Lettering, telling the world that it belongs to Montague Burton, Ltd.”

Burton Long Eaton, 1935. British Newspaper Archive.

“A magnificent structure, noble in conception, graceful in design, and occupying a prominent position in the centre of town. Impressive in appearance, and commanding the admiration of the general public, this triumph of the building profession should form an enduring monument to the vision and enterprise of Montague Burton, whose ever-increasing chain of tailoring establishments throughout Great Britain and Ireland forms one of the most interesting romances of trade.”

“The building and its two lofty storeys, with stately columns rising to the top, and crowned with a massive pediment bearing the firm’s name, which at night is illuminated, suggests solidity of construction enhanced by artistic ensemble.”

You get the gist… this was a showpiece of the Burton empire, so much so that not only did it feature The Chain of Merit Windows but also five foundation stones with the names of members of the Burton family. 

However, these days, since Burton closed down in 2021, the shop is not in a great state. It’s currently on the market, and it retains part of its original shop front. So we had a close look…

Former Burton shop, High Street, Long Eaton (2025). (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)
Montague Burton The Tailor of Taste, Long Eaton (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

Foundation stones laid by Lady Montague Burton (Sophie Amelia Marks Burton (1887-1957) born Worksop, wife of Montague Maurice Burton (1885-1952) (born Meshe David Osinsky, in Lithuania). Their twin sons, Raymond Montague Burton and Stanley Howard Burton (stone covered), their younger son Arnold James Burton, and Austin Stephen Burton (a nephew or cousin or possibly an infant grandchild at the time?).

An original Burton grate at street level. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)
Curved plate glass windows on the side of the shop were most recently in use as a Burton. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

Upstairs, a snooker club – I wonder if this was the original use, as often Burton’s upstairs floors were used for billiard rooms.

It would be wonderful if this shop could regain some of its former glory. Fingers crossed. 

Back at the Market Place, another building caught my eye, The Oxford pub, this had the words “Therm House” on the parapet. I immediately guessed it must have been a gas showroom, lo and behold, I was right.

Therm House, High Street, Long Eaton (Now The Oxford). (Photo: Lucy Brouwer)

Therm House was announced in November 1938 in the Long Eaton Advertiser:

“A building which will add dignity to the Long Eaton Market Place will be “Therm House,” which Messrs F. Perks and Son will commence erecting within the next few days. The Long Eaton Gas Company have certainly planned through Mr. J E. Dodd, the well-known architect, attractive and commodious premises which will occupy the site… On the ground floor there will be showrooms and offices. The first floor provides for a demonstration room to accommodate 300 people, along with a projector room and accommodation for a cafe.”

Indeed, the Oxford Cafe was in the building for a period (and the name remains today on the pub). 

“Therm House” will radiate “light and power” in the old market.”

Mr Therm was an anthropomorphic flame character used by Gas companies in the UK to advertise the convenience of their power and household appliances, appearing from the early 1930s to around the 1960s. The Mr Therm logo was originally at the top of the building between the two words on the parapet.

Mr Therm even had his own swinging theme song…”Meet Mr Therm”. With some choice lyrics:

“Meet Mr Therm, he’ll make your life more easy and very much less greasy, so meet Mr Therm…”

Mr Therm, in the guise of Sherlock Therm, appeared in a series of adverts in the press in the 1930s. British Newspaper Archive.

Finally, for now, Long Eaton has recently lost its Art Deco Cinema. This is all that’s left of the Galaxy Cinema on Derby Road, Long Eaton.

Site where The Galaxy Cinema once stood, Derby Road, Long Eaton. (Photo: Lucy Brouwer/ Louise Hunter)

There will be a few more interesting buildings in Long Eaton in the next post. Until then, if you’d like to find out more about Art Deco Architecture and the buildings of the 1930s, join me for a tour of Nottingham for Art Deco Society UK on Saturday, 13 September, 2 pm.

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Mansfield Cattle Market
Events

Phew! More dates because you can’t get enough buildings!

Mansfield & Art Deco pubs sell out! More dates coming up in August & September.

Thank you so much to everyone who has shown an interest in my new events. 

My new Nottingham Art Deco Pubs talk at The Abdication Micropub has sold out both nights and I’m looking for a venue to hold another performance! More news as it is confirmed. 

The Mansfield Meander on 31 August is now full up… so I’m going to squeeze in another one on Sunday 3 Augus– this will probably fill up fast so don’t delay. I’m also hoping to do this walk for private groups, so if you have 6 or more people who’d be able to do it on a weekday or evening then please, get in touch.

Watson Fothergill Walk – Mansfield Meander: Sunday 3 August, 3 pm 

I’m also doing a shortened version of the Watson Fothergill Walk to mark the anniversary of the Architect’s birth on 12th July 1841. Starting at 2 pm outside Bromley House Library (following on from Nigel Lowey’s sold-out talk about architect George Gilbert Scott). I will lead a shorter than usual walk to look at some of Watson Fothergill’s buildings in Nottingham city centre and explore his use of Nottingham bricks, the influence of George Gilbert Scott and the Gothic Revival on his work. At the end of the walk, there will be an opportunity for a short visit to Bromley House Library (as my guest) to see the wonderful hidden garden. Tickets: £15 with a discount for Bromley House Library Members. 

Watson Fothergill Birthday Walk: Shorter Walk Special, Saturday 12 July, 2 pm 

There are currently tickets available for the original City Centre Watson Fothergill Walk and Hine Hike on the following dates:

Hine Hike: Buildings of Thomas Chambers Hine, Sunday 27 July, 2 pm – 5 tickets remaining. 

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 17 August, 10 am – back to early starts to beat the beach rush!

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 7 September, 10 am 

There will be another chance to join me for The Carrington Crawl looking at houses by Fothergill and his chief assistant Lawrence George Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington. Carrington Crawl, Saturday 27 September, 1 pm


And Finally…

I will be running Nottingham Deco in the Details Part 2 for the Art Deco Society UK on Saturday 13 September, at 2 pm. There is a discount for ADSUK members. More details and tickets from ADSUK: Deco In The Details Part 2

As ever – if you’d like a tour or talk for you and your group I have some availability on weekdays – so drop me a message.

Events, New Tour

August & September 2024 now booking

Thanks to everyone who joined me for a walk in the last few weeks. Here are a few more chances to enjoy Watson Fothergill Walk and The Carrington Crawl, plus a new walk for Art Deco Society UK.

There are tickets available for the following dates for the original city centre walk:

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 28 July, 10 am

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 18 August, 10 am

Watson Fothergill Walk, Thursday 29 August, 6 pm

Watson Fothergill Walk, Sunday 8 September, 2 pm

The Carrington Crawl – looking at houses by Fothergill and his Chief Assistant L.G. Summers in Mapperley Park, Sherwood Rise and Carrington:

The Carrington Crawl, Saturday 21 September, 1 pm

All tickets are £15 each (plus Eventbrite fee). 

Deco in the Details for Art Deco Society UK

I will be running my new walkNottingham: Deco in the Details on Saturday 14 September at the request of the Art Deco Society UK. Join Lucy to look for traces of Art Deco in the 1920s & 1930s architecture of Nottingham. 

Tickets are available from Ticketsource:

Deco in the Details, Saturday 14 September, 10 am. 

Become a member of Art Deco Society UK for just £15 per year.