![]() “It might end up being a private gallery because of the bills we’ve got to pay. “The way things are going in London, in the whole world, we’re going to struggle to keep this space free,” Bracey said. He’s looking into adding solar panels to the roof to help offset the soaring energy bills. ![]() They’re also working on building a new “VIP” area upstairs.īut visiting God’s Own Junkyard has remained free-of-charge, and Bracey says he’d like to keep it that way. To give the business a new lease on life, the Braceys have opened a bar and cafeteria on-site, called the Rolling Scones Cafe, where people can sit with a drink and bask in the neon lights. “The rents have gone up, electricity has gone up, overheads have gone up.” “It’s amazing to be here, especially with the storms we’ve ridden,” Bracey says. God’s Own Junkyard is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, as Britain lives through one of the worst cost of living crises in a generation. The artistry begins with the design – “you’ve got to be a reasonably good sketcher and do your mock-up visuals and drawings before you even begin to make that sign,” Bracey says. God’s Own Junkyard has a sister company, Electro Signs, founded by Marcus’ grandfather Dick Bracey in the 1950s, where all their neon pieces are manufactured. Working with neon is challenging in its own right, as straight canes of fragile glass must be twisted into shapes and letters over a massive flame. It’s got a life of its own and it's handmade, which is fantastic.” It’s not so commercially driven, which is exciting. Now in this era, we’re creating art pieces that go on someone’s wall in their home. ![]() It was in hotels, bars, restaurants, the sex industry, as a way to publicise and draw people in. “Neon over the years has changed so much,” Bracey told Euronews Culture. The halls of God’s Own Junkyard tell the story of how neon evolved over the years, from a utilitarian product to a coveted piece of art. ![]()
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