Slowly but surely, the public realm on the east side of the National Theatre has got better over the years. A once dismal service road, Stage Door Avenue, between Upper Ground and the riverside path, was improved in 2015 by banishing the theatre’s service yard at the end by the Thames. The former service yard is now a bustling restaurant area and the lorries making deliveries to the theatre and collecting rubbish have largely gone.

But the shine was dulled by the IBM building across the road from the theatre. A high brick wall and brick plinth that shouts “keep out” runs the length of Stage Door Avenue.