We all know of Little Chef having custom-built lanterns outside their premises, which happen to be 5ft vertical fluorescents.... but I am now wondering if Esso also did something similar.
A while back, I recall a post from sotonsteve (I think) who had been to Thirsk and pictured a vertical 5ft fluorescent lantern which did not look likt the Little Chef types... I can't find that photo but the location is here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll= ... 31,,1,3.64And now there has been a message elsewhere about somebody wondering what a certain lantern was and assuming it was a Little Chef lantern - and that is here:
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Watlin ... 53,,0,-0.7They look pretty much the same, except for colour. And both are by former Esso petrol stations. Make of that what you will......