Woolwich

The trip to Woolwich was a nostalgia trip for me as I was born in Woolwich and lived in Charlton close by until I was 18. 

• We visited  the Woolwich Royal Arsenal, which had carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces since 1670s until its final closure in 1994. It is now being developed as a residential area. Assembly is a sculpture by Peter Burke made up of 16 hollow figures standing in a cluster. The cast-iron quarter-ton body moulds give the optical illusion of a convex face - the fact that the right and left sides are in focus while the face is slightly out shows the concave nature of the sculpture.
• We stayed in the newly opened Travelodge which occupies the The Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society (RACS) building in Powis Street.  This store opened in 1903; the statue is of founder Alexander McLeod (1832-1902).  It has been empty for a decade. The front of the Italian Renaissance-style grade II listed building, its clock tower and dome have been restored and incorporated into the new hotel.
• Opposite an Art  Deco extension was opened in 1938, designed by the company architect SW Ackeroyd. The metal Crittall windows are a notable Art Deco feature, the same firm did windows on the Titanic. It is semi derelict but there are plans for its redevelopment.We sampled the excellent fooed in Woolwich's Choice Cafe and travelled back north on the Woolwich Free Ferry.