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South London has changed a lot since 1985 – but it turns out that the central location for the Daniel Day-Lewis classic ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ looks pretty much the same. Take a trip back to Thatcher-era Vauxhall…
The location: 25-27 Wilcox Road, Vauxhall
The scene: Omar, a young Pakistani man played by Gordon Warnecke, has been tasked with revitalising his uncle Nasser’s decrepit laundrette – a task he completes with the help of his old friend and secret lover Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis). During the grand opening of the glammed-up premises, while Omar and Johnny have a cheeky shag in the back room, Nasser’s daughter starts a row with his mistress. Families, eh?
Then: In 1985 this was a deprived patch of south London, mostly populated by white and Caribbean working-class communities. (According to London architectural historian Edmund Bird, Pakistani businessmen like Nasser were more likely to have operated out of the East End.)
The 40th anniversary 2K restoration of My Beautiful Laundrette is in UK cinemas Aug 1, 2025.