Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

This beautiful mosaic sign is at the entrance to Oriel Close in the lovely Oriel building in Liverpool's Water Street. The building is much-admired, designed by Peter Ellis and built in 1864. With a cast iron frame, its grid of oriel windows is its defining feature. It wasn't loved by all, however. In 1866, The Builder magazine described it as "a vast abortion" and "ludicrous", declaring that "the plainest brick warehouse in town is infinitely superior". Liverpool certainly has some handsome warehouses, but I'm glad the Oriel and this little mosaic have survived to cheer passers-by.

Bread and beer - no flies on us

I thought I’d pick a pretty picture to start the New Year. This gorgeous mosaic sign decorates the doorway of the Fly in the Loaf in Hardman Street, Liverpool. The bar takes its name from the slogan of the Kirklands bakery which once occupied this spot – they claimed there were “no flies in the loaf”. Already appointed as bakers to Queen Victoria, Kirklands opened this building in 1888. According to a Liverpool Mercury article at the time, the bakery was designed to be “a perfectly sanitary bakehouse, combining all the best health arrangements”. It continued as a bakery until the 1970s.

Put a spring in your step

This pretty London mosaic door step sign always cheers me up. The White Hall Hotel, somewhat confusingly, is nowhere near Whitehall. It’s a Georgian townhouse hotel in Montague Street, Bloomsbury, and a very good place to stay.

When is a sign not a sign?

When it's a piece of public art.

In an unassuming alley in Stockport, you can get a glimpse of five great murals on the side of the BHS shop. When the store was built, it was agreed that the wall in Deanery Way wouldn’t be left blank, but instead would show something of local interest, and these mosaic and concrete murals were commissioned.

They were designed in 1978 by Henry Collins (1910-1994) and Joyce Pallot (1912-2004). There are five murals, four showing the history of Stockport, and the one shown above, advertising British Home Stores.

It’s easy to rush past with your head down and miss them, but I love their bright colours and careful detail. Seek them out if you’re in Stockport.

Who are you?

Mosaic sign on the doorstep of the National Portrait Gallery in London. I got there early enough to take this photo, before the swarming crowds made it impossible. Catch the wonderful Grayson Perry “Who are you?” exhibition if you can – it’s on until 15 March.

Stockport station - so good they named it twice

A man walked into Stockport Station recently and asked the guard if he was in the right place – he was due to pick up his friend from the London train arriving that evening at Edgeley Station.  The guard laughed and said he was in the right place, but he was about 40 years too late. In answer to the man’s puzzled face, the guard explained that the station was called Stockport station, but it had once been known as Stockport Edgeley station, to avoid confusion with the nearby Stockport Tiviot Dale station - which had closed in 1967.

And it is confusing. The modern front of the station is called Stockport, but at the back of the station (where the short stay car park is), this wonderful mosaic sign remains - to the confusion of some visitors.