Coty factory, Great West Road

Coty perfume and cosmetics factory, Great West Road – Wallis, Gilbert & Partners – 1932

Opposite the former Firestone building, this factory was used for the manufacture of Coty soaps, lipsticks, scents and creams until 1979.  It has been under scaffolding for a while and is still getting some work done inside, I look forward to it looking rather scrummy in a few months time, hopefully.

Next door to it is a new Audi centre, which, judging by an old photo I’ve seen, used to be a very lovely towered factory for Brittol Ltd and later for Admiralty Oil – massive shame it’s gone.

The former Packard works steps, Brentford

Packard works (Leonard Williams Ltd), Great West Road, Brentford - 1931 – Wallis, Gilbert and Partners

 

 

 

This site is where they assembled and serviced the Canadian Packard cars. In March 1945 a V2 rocket destroyed the factory and all the remains are the original steps to the showroom. The bomb left 32 dead and 102  seriously injured, which makes the sad loss of the building seem a bit insignificant by comparison. 

It is now site to a remarkably dull Curry’s retail centre – rather ironic, as it is just along the road from the impressive former Curry’s HQ (see previous post).

Great West Road – “The Golden Mile”

overlooking the (not quite so anymore) Golden Mile

Me on the foot bridge between the old Firestone Factory and the Pyrene factory.

Looking east along the ‘Golden Mile’ towards Chiswick, you can still see the former Curry’s factory, but many of the other art deco factories have gone now. You can just see the top of the new(ish) Glaxo Smith Kline HQ.

Gillette Factory, Brentford

Gillette Factory, Gillette Corner, Brentford - Sir Banister Fletcher – 1936

Pickles at Gillette Corner

This is was the last factory on the Great West Road, “Golden Mile”, to be occupied by the original company it was built for. Built for Gillette, the razor manufacturer, the design of the building frontage is said to resemble a razor. Sadly, Gillette finally stopped production in 2006 and moved out in 2007.

Pickles at Gillette Clock Tower

Pickles at Gillette Clock Tower

You can view the Bonnington redevelopment plans for the Gillette Factory site at: http://www.gillettecorner.com  (let me know what you think!)

Firestone Factory, Great West Road, Brentford

The Firestone tyre factory – Great West Road – London – 1928 - Wallis Gilbert & Partners

Demolished in 1980, I believe on the day before a preservation order was due to come into effect (although this could be a local myth?), all that’s left are the boundary wall and entrances.  THe rest of the site is now home to Sky Broadcasting and a delightful PC World.

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

And here is the main entrance in it former glory. - Heartbreaking!

 

If you want to break your heart a little more, this site has a few extra photos of the factory before and as it was knocked down: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~garycr/2001/firestone_factory/