Fish Brothers, which had a respectable and re-assuring blue frontage until they spoiled it recently, is part of a chain of jewelers and pawnshops which has had 7 generations of the same family involved in the business since 1830. They have nine shops, which are situated mainly in the east London area and also related businesses on-line and in Canary Wharf. They plan to open another in Depford. The development of the on-line business may explain why the side window with the second-hand, ex-pledge, items has declined in interesting contents recently. In the past I often used to muse about the stories and lives behind the items which ended up on display there.

The Walthamstow shop, at 114 High Street had a large clock owerhanging in the street, which served as a useful landmark on market days when the area is vibrant and teaming with people and stalls. Unfortunately, for an establishment which sells time-pieces, the clock had not been a great advertisement for the business as of late, as it has been stuck at 8.31 for some time. Instead of fixing it though, as one would expect a firm dealing in time-pieces to be capable of doing, they replaced it with an ugly sign, making the business look very cheap and second-rate.

The door to their pledge department is to the side, opposite the currently empty and closed ex-Burger King which abandoned the site next to Sainsbury's and moved up the hill to join the land of the bland at the Mall.

[Updated 12 October 2009]