11-12 Great Sutton Street

Once part of the Charterhouse estate, Great Sutton Street has a rich history. Commercial redevelopment began in the 1880s, with small house plots making way for factories and warehouses, largely built as speculative ventures on 80-year leases from the Charterhouse estate. Early occupants included clothing manufacturers—milliners, mantle-makers, and collar-makers—as well as leather manufacturers, glove-makers, furriers, and those in the printing trade, bookbinding, engraving, and stationery production. The area also continued a long-standing tradition with several butchers and tripe dressers.

During the Second World War, many properties, including 11-12 Great Sutton Street, were severely damaged and demolished. In the 1950s and 60s, factories and warehouses were constructed on these bomb sites, and commercial development persisted into the mid-1970s. It is believed that 11-12 Great Sutton Street was purpose-built in 1951 for J. L. Bruce Ltd, a manufacturer of opticians’ equipment.

For much of the 20th century, Great Sutton Street was run-down, but by the mid-1990s, it began to experience dramatic regeneration. Since then, the area has transformed into a thriving business hub, home to creative and media companies, art galleries, and designer furniture showrooms.