I was walking home from work on Monday when I noticed this old ghost sign on Finchley Road. See it, against the concrete? It had been covered up by another sign and was exposed when that one came down. It says "Cosmo Restaurant."
I wondered how old the sign was. So I did some online sleuthing and it turns out that the Cosmo Restaurant, which was in business from 1937 until 1998, had a long and colorful history. It was seen as a center of the vibrant Jewish community that sprang up in northwest London, and a venue where Jews who had fled fascism and the Holocaust often gathered. Even Sigmund Freud, who lived a short walk away, is said to have patronized the place, though Freud died in 1939 so if that's true he couldn't have gone there long.
There's a blue plaque marking the restaurant's significance on an outer wall. (I'm noticing that the plaque gives an opening year of 1933, which is earlier than some published accounts. That would make more sense for Freud, I suppose.)
I can easily imagine what that must have looked like, peering in the window and seeing all these people with so much shared history.
The Cosmo closed in 1998 -- probably around the time many of its patrons were vanishing -- so the ghost sign must be at least that old. I think the bit in the middle probably said "fully licensed," a phrase that appears on a lot of old restaurant facades in the UK. (It seems odd to me that a restaurant would have to point out that it's licensed, but whatever.)
In more recent years, the Cosmo site was the home of a couple of Indian restaurants, a gelato place and then a spa. If the signs on the windows are accurate, a Chinese restaurant is going in next.
I thought all this was pretty interesting. Once again, walking around London, we're all surrounded by history!
Thankfully the blue plaque is there. I wonder what the new facade will be like?
ReplyDeleteThis blogpost brought to mind my dentists in Southampton in the late 60s..who saw what was happening in Germany from the early thirties. They visited relatives in England regularly..and on every trip, in their cases would be parts of their dental chair, which sat, complete in the corner of their surgery. Once all the pieces and tools were here, they managed to stay as they had sponsors.
And we wouldn’t know any of this fascinating history if it weren’t for your curiosity and willingness to dig deeper.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mitchell's comment. You'd make a great London tour guide!
ReplyDeleteVery interesting indeed. I am a little surprised at two Indian restaurants that went out of business. Perhaps the area is too upmarket for Indian food.
ReplyDeleteI bet "fully licensed" means that they are licensed for liquor rather than just beer and wine.
ReplyDeleteCheers Peter
This was so interesting. Thank you for doing the research and reporting on it. If you wanted your martini, you'd be glad the restaurant was fully licensed! It could serve your spirits.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting. And get this- I just started reading a book last night in which in a part set in the '50's, there's a cafe in France where all of the employees had been in camps.
ReplyDeleteBeing a Seinfeld fan, I'm not sure I would want to live near Cosmo.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting find. You are so right about London. It is a city rich in history and it is always interesting to explore. I'm reminded of that sign in Russell Square telling the history of that neighborhood. That sign prompted me to do more research.
ReplyDeleteso different than here in the US. everything is so new, no real history and in Houston at least, no one cares about the history of older buildings or newer ones for that matter. tear it down and build something else we'll probably never have that sense of history.
ReplyDeleteThat is one very ancient sign. You found a lot of interesting history about the business.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story behind this sign!! I would try to obtain the sign before it is covered up again, I wonder if anyone has tried- donate it to a gallery or something. COSMO is such a fabulous name! London is packed full of amazement! You are a lucky man, and we are lucky that you have a camera and journalistic skills! Thanks!
ReplyDeletePremises in the UK selling any type of alcohol be it beer or wine or anything else alcoholic are required to be licensed by the local authority. Some cafes and restaurants are not licensed to sell alcohol. It is by no means a given.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting history that place has! There are so many stories that the Cosmo could tell.
ReplyDeleteI love that you spot and photograph all this, then research it for us. I feel like I learn a lot here! It certainly makes me want to visit London again.
ReplyDeleteThe Cosmo has seen lots of life and your writing says it is about to be re-invented again. If only walls could talk.
ReplyDeleteGZ: Wow! What a story! And how cool that they still had the chair -- I suppose after all that trouble they were bound to keep it forever.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: I find little mysteries like this fascinating!
Michael: I can't imagine trying to lead tours in a place where there's so much to say!
Andrew: Well, restaurants come and go. They have a lot of competition.
Peter: Oh, THAT makes sense. I never considered that licensed meant alcohol. Of course!
Boud: Yes, I see now that "fully licensed" was code for "we have booze"!
Ms Moon: Synchronicity! Or something like that.
Ed: Ha! I forgot Kramer's first name was Cosmo. I work with a guy named Cosmo.
Sharon: It's interesting to learn a little, and in some cases that prompts us to dig deeper!
Ellen: I think there's more history in American cities than we realize, but I agree that it's not emphasized like it is here.
Red: Well, I'm not sure it's "ancient," but it's at least 25 years old.
Linda Sue: Well, it's really just a shadow of a sign. The only way to "obtain" it would be to obtain the wall itself! So a photo will have to do.
Rachel: Yes, it makes sense that "licensed" would be code for "we serve alcohol". I wasn't thinking of it in those terms.
Margaret: Indeed! I bet conversations were interesting in there!
Kelly: I love ghost signs, those fleeting reminders of the past that show up for a short time and then get covered up again. (As will surely happen to this one.)
Susan: Successful cities are continuously re-inventing themselves!
This is just fascinating. And thanks for sharing the link, too. Ghost signs set us on a journey, don't they? And what a spot for history. The energy in that building must have been so powerful. Thanks for sharing this.
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