Carreras Cigarette Factory

The Carreras Cigarette Factory stands in Camden, London, on the site of Mornington Crescent’s communal garden. Designed in the early 20th century, it is an Art Deco building with strong Egyptian Revival features. The architects were Marcus Evelyn Collins, O. H. Collins and Arthur George Porri. Built in 1926–28 for the Carreras Tobacco Company, it became known as Arcadia Works. The factory was later renamed Greater London House after conversion to offices in the 1960s. The building’s Egyptian style was inspired by the 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the Paris Exhibition of 1925. Its entrance once featured two giant bronze cats representing the goddess Bastet, symbols of the Craven A cigarette brand. The factory opened with a grand ceremony involving sand-covered streets and actors in Egyptian costume. During the Second World War, the Horus symbol above the door was covered over. After decades of neglect, the building was restored in the late 1990s, regaining much of its original decoration. Visitors today see a long white façade with restored Egyptian details. The entrance is framed by replicas of the black cat statues. Inside, the building houses modern offices for companies such as ASOS and the British Heart Foundation. The restored colonnade of papyriform columns and serpent-shaped handrails remain visible. The site overlooks Harrington Square, offering a quiet contrast to the busy streets nearby.