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Sunday September 8th 2024

My Beautiful Laundrette | 1985

My Beautiful Laundrette: Wilcox Road, Wandsworth, London SW8
My Beautiful Laundrette: ‘Powders’ launderette: Wilcox Road, Wandsworth, London SW8

Yes, I know the correct spelling is launderette. Take it up with writer Hanif Kureishi.

Young Asian entrepreneur Omar (Gordon Warnecke) employs old school pal, and one-time racist, Johnny (Daniel Day Lewis) to make sock-washing a feelgood experience in this little gem of a movie, which captures so much of the spirit of 80s Britain.

My Beautiful Laundrette: Queenstown Road, Battersea, London SW11
My Beautiful Laundrette: home to Omar and his dad: Queenstown Road, Battersea, London SW11

It's set around Wandsworth, southwest London, though the home of Omar and his world-weary dad (Roshan Seth) is 239 Queenstown Road at Ravenet Street in Battersea.

The railway bridge, under which Omar first sees Johnny with his racist pals, is over Stewarts Road, near Ascalon Street, Wandsworth, SW8.

In reality, ‘Powders' launderette itself used to be Low Gear second hand store, but has since gone through several incarnations. It’s 11 Wilcox Road, SW8, off Wandsworth Road, which was, at the time, two doors away from... a launderette.