The Gresham Ballroom sign in situ on Ms Boreman’s wall

IT is now fondly remembered for the bad wallpaper, the cheap drinks, and the place where some met their spouses, but once upon a time in the 1980s and 1990s, Archway’s Gresham Ballroom was where it was at.

Opened in the 1950s and described as legendary and iconic by those who frequented the Holloway Road establishment, the venue later fell upon hard times and in 2001 it was demolished.

For the thousands who had spent decades jiving on the dancefloor there – including a large Irish community – that was the end of it.

But for one woman, who was driving by and just happened to spot them taking down the enormous sign, it was just the beginning.

Fashion stylist Sian Boreman, who had never been to the venue, said she was struck by the beauty of the Perspex sign.

“I was driving on my way up to the old Ikea in Wembley and I mean – it’s 23 years ago, isn’t it?

“I had my small child in the car with me, but for some reason as I drove past the building, I looked up and I could see the builders taking the taking the sign down,” Ms Boreman recalled.

“And so I literally just stopped dead, got out of the car and had a chat with the builders, who were lovely, who were in the process of demolishing the building.

“And I just said ‘What’s happening with all this? What are you doing with it?’ You know, ‘Can I have it?’ kind of thing and they amazingly said, ‘Yeah.’”

Ms Boreman’s daughters Iris and Mimi

Ms Boreman managed to get the sign in her car and drove it back to her Newington Green home, where she stored it in her basement for three years before giving it as a surprise 40th gift to her husband.

It then lived up on their walls for 20 years, before a kitchen refurbishment saw it taken down again and stored away.

Ms Boreman says she now plans to sell it, and hopes to find someone who will love the sign as much as her family have – and maybe even someone who has a connection to the old ballroom.

“We’ve had quite a few people come over to the house – especially trades people – and just say ‘Oh my God, I met my wife there,’” she said.

“It is a really good talking point.”

She said her husband was “gutted” to let it go but accepted it was time, as they use their home for photo shoots and often the sign needs to be covered.

The Gresham was originally built in 1910 as the Pavilion Cinema before being renamed several times and eventually closing down as a cinema in 1957, with High Society showing on the big screen.

It was then turned into the Gresham Ballroom, and largely catered for the local Irish community – 85 per cent of the Whittington’s nurses at that time were Irish. It closed in 1998 and is now a Sainsbury’s Local.

Describing the appeal of the sign, Ms Boreman said: “If you want something completely original, and especially if you did have some kind of connection with the building, and you want to hold on to a piece of history, then it is definitely something to have, because it is just so beautiful.”

If you are interested in making an offer, you can email Ms Boreman on sianboreman@yahoo.com