Southwark's "Owl and the Pussy-Cat" house could be restored and opened to the public

"Sitting on Southwark Bridge Road, next to the railway line between Blackfriars and Elephant and Castle, the two 19th-century townhouses are locally famous for the small statues of an owl and a cat in the upper-floor niches. It's said the previous owner added them around the turn of the millennium."

"The buildings are now owned by a developer who wants to replace the modern Pocock House building next door with a 45-storey tower for student accommodation and plans to renovate the two old houses, opening them for public use, with a small outdoor seating area at the rear."

"The townhouses are not nationally protected, but they are locally listed by Southwark Council, giving them some measure of protection from development - although the council says they have 'no architectural value and very limited historical value'"

Two 19th-century townhouses on Southwark Bridge Road are locally famous for small owl and cat statues in their upper-floor niches, added around the turn of the millennium by a previous owner. The origin of these sculptures remains unknown, though speculation links them to Edward Lear's poem given the proximity to King's Bench Prison where Lear's father was imprisoned. A developer now owns the buildings and proposes renovating them as a public cafe with outdoor seating and possible roof terrace access. The adjacent modern Pocock House would be replaced with a 45-storey student accommodation tower. Though locally listed by Southwark Council, the townhouses lack national protection and are classified as third-rate Georgian terraced houses built circa 1830.

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