Page 99 - IT'S A RUM LIFE BOOK TWO "BOSTON 1960 TO 1970"

(The Firestone Factory, Great West Road, Brentford
Middlesex, UK)

Fred had done all he could. I was his choice to work as part
of his team at Lincoln District Office; I just had to persuade the
sales directors that I was good enough.
The Firestone factory at Brentford on London’s Great West
Road has all gone now knocked down one dark night in 1974
to prevent a listed building order preserving the unique 1930’s
Art Deco frontage.
I may just as well explain this now.
In the early 1970’s, Firestone UK’s parents in the USA
decided that after 40 years or so of successful trading in the UK
during which time Firestone UK had become the no 2 most
successful tyre make; the Americans knew better.
USA management arrived and took over. The UK Company
was destroyed in five short years.
One of their insane decisions was to sell off the Great West
Road premises to a firm of International property developers
who, when they realised that a court order to preserve the
building frontage was imminent; moved in with demolition
balls one Sunday night and completely destroyed the building.

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