Honour at his old offices

Eric Sykes is to be honoured with a blue plaque on the wall of the office where he spent more than 50 years writing comedy.

The Heritage Foundation will be unveiling the tribute at 9 Orme Court in Bayswater, West London, on July 7.

He moved into the building in 1960 as one of the comedy writers’ co-operative Associated London Scripts, with Spike Milligan, Franke Howerd and Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.

In 1967 Hancock writers Galton and Simpson sold their share of Orme Court to Milligan and Sykes. Milligan later sold his half to Sykes, who reportedly retained the freehold.

The building is listed still listed as the registered address of Eric Skyes Limited, and in last year’s tribute show The Late Great Eric Skyes, his long-term agent Norma Farnes showed viewers around the office.

Three days before he died last summer, at the age of 86, Skyes told Farnes that what he'd like more than anything would be to visit Orme Court one last time.

The building already has one Heritage Foundation plaque on the outside, to Milligan – which was unveiled by Sykes himself in 2003.

Published: 7 May 2013