Attention: Please take a moment to consider our terms and conditions before posting.

The Biscuit Factory

Just doing a bit of business with a firm based in the Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey. Turns out this is the old Peek Freans factory. Anyone else remember - as I do - the gorgeous sweet smell that used to emanate from the factory when you were on the train on that stretch of track between New Cross and London Bridge? Factory shut in 1989 but can still smell that wonderful smell. To spoil the memory a little, I seem to recall Millwall used to train on the grounds there. I'm sure Eamon Dunphy mentions this in 'Only a Game'

Comments

  • Nug
    Nug Posts: 4,626
    Definitely remember that in my early years commuting to work.
  • sunbury-addick
    sunbury-addick Posts: 1,931
    Nug said:

    Definitely remember that in my early years commuting to work.

    Yeah and the digital clock
  • DaveMehmet
    DaveMehmet Posts: 21,621
    And the truck/lorry scrapyard where they've built the London overground lines.
  • Hastingsaddick
    Hastingsaddick Posts: 4,079
    Custard Creams.
  • markmc68
    markmc68 Posts: 1,593
    Broken biscuits. Remember them ?
    Plastic bag full of reject biscuits.
  • man_at_milletts
    man_at_milletts Posts: 5,620
    If I remember correctly, you could almost taste which biscuits they were making each day, as the smell wafted into the train.

    There was also a Chiltonian Biscuit Factory on the site of the Ind Area between Lee and Hither Green stations many moons ago.

  • Fumbluff
    Fumbluff Posts: 10,141
    Which firm??
  • mistrollingin
    mistrollingin Posts: 3,868
    They had a clock on the outside that I always checked my watch by when we rattled into London Bridge back in the eighties and nineties. Happy days.
  • addick1965
    addick1965 Posts: 5,092
    Yep i remember the smell of those biscuits :) and the smell of the vinegar factory just as you pulled into London Bridge
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 28,721
    Fumbluff said:

    Which firm??

    peek freans

  • Sponsored links:



  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,715
    God was a highlight of a trip up to London for me whenever I was a little boy getting to smell those biscuits
  • Just doing a bit of business with a firm based in the Biscuit Factory in Bermondsey. Turns out this is the old Peek Freans factory. Anyone else remember - as I do - the gorgeous sweet smell that used to emanate from the factory when you were on the train on that stretch of track between New Cross and London Bridge? Factory shut in 1989 but can still smell that wonderful smell. To spoil the memory a little, I seem to recall Millwall used to train on the grounds there. I'm sure Eamon Dunphy mentions this in 'Only a Game'

    Yeah he does mention training near a Peek Freans factory, although I thought he said Sidcup. I'll have to re read.
  • addick1965
    addick1965 Posts: 5,092
    Peak Freans sports ground is still there near the Dutch House pub..i think it's a schools ground now
  • RopeYardRails
    RopeYardRails Posts: 111
    Had a mate who worked there, used to say "i am a man of means... I work for Peak Freens, Making custard creams"
  • Slartibartfast
    Slartibartfast Posts: 1,121
    As well as the clock I remember a neon sign of a man climbing up a ladder.
  • creepyaddick
    creepyaddick Posts: 6,152
    was there a factory in Lee too? I always remember the old man bringing home a box of broken biscuits and I'm sure it was from around there? If you come down Verdant lane turn right and then a turning on the left opposite a church I think?
  • MrLargo
    MrLargo Posts: 7,993

    If I Bobbiremember correctly, you could almost taste which biscuits they were making each day, as the smell wafted into the train.

    There was also a Chiltonian Biscuit Factory on the site of the Ind Area between Lee and Hither Green stations many moons ago.

    That's interesting. I live in hither green and there's a new development of flats and houses next to the station called the Biscuit Factory. It's on the site of a former plumbers merchant, or something similar. Guess they bent the truth a bit with the name.

  • Sponsored links:



  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,172
    Peek Freans, pah. Associated Biscuits.

    I worked for United Biscuits. We were No 1 in biscuits. That mob from Bermondsey had no chance against McVities Digestive, Ginger Nuts, PPPPPPPickup a Penguin, Krackawheat, HobNobs, Jaffa Cakes, Cheddars, Tuc,...

    I just wanted to share that. Thank you for reading.
  • mattaddick
    mattaddick Posts: 655

    Yep i remember the smell of those biscuits :) and the smell of the vinegar factory just as you pulled into London Bridge

    Yeah the vinegar factory was Sarsons I think. The building is still there but all dilapidated now. Quite an assault on the senses really - that beautiful smell of sweet biscuits followed by vinegar!

  • MrLargo
    MrLargo Posts: 7,993

    this is it

    That's the one. Outrageously over priced as well, think it was £225k for a studio flat, madness!
  • MrLargo said:

    If I Bobbiremember correctly, you could almost taste which biscuits they were making each day, as the smell wafted into the train.

    There was also a Chiltonian Biscuit Factory on the site of the Ind Area between Lee and Hither Green stations many moons ago.

    That's interesting. I live in hither green and there's a new development of flats and houses next to the station called the Biscuit Factory. It's on the site of a former plumbers merchant, or something similar. Guess they bent the truth a bit with the name.
    Yep plumbers merchant. Chiltonian Factory a fair distant from that site. Still, how you going to market "The Old Cistern"?

    Really pleased to see what they have done with the station parade in the last 5 years. Adults sat outside the florist reading proper newspapers drinking coffee, half decent pint in the Station pub and overall just a much nicer vibe than how it used to be.

    Great model on how its possible to "gentrify" (hate that term btw) an area through a few local businesses rather than knocking everything down and pricing people out the area. See the same old faces in the Station but the vibe was better somehow. Give a man a chance and all that. 4.70 a pint of peesh is daylight though and how many people actually want wasabi peas as their bar snack of choice.

    Born and raised on Springbank Rd. Lovely little Village Hither Green. Fook am I moving back there now ; )
  • BrentfordAddick
    BrentfordAddick Posts: 1,462

    As well as the clock I remember a neon sign of a man climbing up a ladder.

    Pearce signs by New Cross Gate station? A Sign Is A Fine Investment

  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,173

    Peek Freans, pah. Associated Biscuits.

    I worked for United Biscuits. We were No 1 in biscuits. That mob from Bermondsey had no chance against McVities Digestive, Ginger Nuts, PPPPPPPickup a Penguin, Krackawheat, HobNobs, Jaffa Cakes, Cheddars, Tuc,...

    I just wanted to share that. Thank you for reading.

    Ah -but Peek Freans invented the Garibaldi...
  • PragueAddick
    PragueAddick Posts: 22,172
    True. And I think the Bourbon too. My favourite biscuit as a kid.
  • markmc68
    markmc68 Posts: 1,593
    Did nobody here buy broken biscuits.
  • markmc68
    markmc68 Posts: 1,593
    The rats around sarsons were massive. More like cats. Rumour was that they were so big because they would eat malt on and around the vinegar site.