Chewing gum machines

Chewing gum machine on Brick Lane, 1984

As a child it was a treat to put a penny in the chewing gum machine outside the local newsagents. These machines were alluring because you could access them without parental supervision at any time.

Chewing gum machine on Vallance Rd, 2005

The chewing gum machine has proved to be an intrepid survivor of the street and is alive and well in East London. They are unnoticed by adults but are always set at a height accessible to a small child. Their bright colours make them difficult for a child to ignore.

Chewing gum machine next to shop entrance. Brick Lane early 1980's.

The child above is ripe for seduction by the chewing gum machine. He is the right height and he cannot even see over the counter in the shop. The machines are an apprenticeship into becoming a consumer. It is unlikely he will use the machine with his mother around.

Chewing gum machine in Fieldgate street, 2004

This chewing gum machine referees a heated conversation between two men on Fieldgate street. I always remember one of the most engaging attractions of these machines was the slow turn and clunk of the handle as the coin dropped into the compartment beneath the chewing gum; today it would be described by a marketing agency as a complete shopping experience.