Sophie O'Donnell

Worthington Arcade is a classically-proportioned capitals-only type incorporating a selection of ligatures and alternates.

It loosely resembles the hand-painted architectural lettering of the 30s to the 50s, exemplified by the likes of Percy Smith’s interior signage for the BBC or George Mansell’s lettering for the University of London and the signs found on London’s bridges. However, rather than a slavish copy of any historical model, it is more an examination and evocation of certain idiosyncratic quirks of civic lettering of the period, and an attempt to create a peculiarly English titling typeface.

The round letters, for example the O, Q and C, are wider than the perfect circle usually found in such designs, while the straight-sided characters, usually drawn on a square, are narrower. This lends the whole a subtle elegance that is also emphasized by the raised crossbars on the H, E and F and extended lower leg of the E.

Includes old-style numerals.