Great news regarding the Original Lotus Factory in Hornsey

I am cross posting this from the Lotus Elite Yahoo group, it’s a posting from Rob Ford of an e-mail from Graham Arnold’s son:

The Lotus Building

As some of you may have heard, the old Jewson’ site in Hornsey (N London) where the original LOTUS factory and showroom was established is being redeveloped.

The good news…

Fifth State are developing the site and have embraced the heritage of Lotus as part of the development.

They are restoring the frontage of the showroom (now in a very bad state) and creating a community area and cafe with an exhibition dedicated to the history of Lotus, preserving the memory and celebrating it.

I helped save the building form Jewson’s about 8 years ago when they just wanted to knock it down.

As a active member of the local community, I have worked to raise awareness of this key part of Hornsey’s history. We organised a Lotus car rally, talks at St Mary’s Tower and updated Wikipedia

As my father, Graham Arnold, was sales and marketing director of Lotus, we were brought up with Lotus in our blood. He placed the memorial plaque to Colin Chapman on the building a few years before he died. I now live 5 minutes away.

I am thrilled that Lotus lives on, it could have been erased so easily, but First State is celebrating it.

It has my full backing.

visit:

https://thelotusbuilding.com/

https://thelotusbuilding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Lotus-Building-A1-Boards.pdf

Chris Arnold

Founder: Crouch End Festival
Artistic Director: Intimate Space at St Mary’s Tower
Hornsey Parish Church - church councillor
07778 056686
vichris@…

On face value this looks to be a great development. Jewson’s wanted to knock the buildings down in 2015, but went on to improve the buildings a little… but here not only will the buildings be preserved but become a Lotus exhibition area.

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Chris, that’s wonderful news! We are so grateful history will be preserved.

We visited via Richard Parramint’s tour in Sept 2024 with the Golden Gate Lotus Club. It was wonderful to stand where all the lads put Elites and race cars together back in the day. I wonder how they will get Colin’s old desk/drawing storage down from the second floor…