Inside the life and home of south London's most notorious brothel keeper

Metro

18 hours ago

Neighbours of a house once owned by the notorious Madam Cynthia Payne says she helped put their suburban enclave 'on the map'- and even helped to drive up house prices.
The large property in Ambleside Avenue, Streatham in south London, was turned into luxury flats in 2021 but was once a hotbed of vice – with Payne hosting a cast of characters reportedly including a peer of the realm, barristers, ex police officers bank managers and priests.
Despite being well-known among her clients and locals in the area for a number of years, it wasn't until 1978 when she shot into the spotlight after police raided her home while a sex party was in progress.
During a trial in 1980, a court heard that Payne had been charging her elite clientele £25, which was exchanged for a 'luncheon voucher' – a token that entitled the bearer to have sex with women provided by Payne.
Madam Cyn, as she was known, was convicted of running a disorderly house at her trial in 1980 and ended up serving four months in Holloway prison after her 18 month sentence was reduce to a fine and a six-month jail term.
She was released on August 17 1980, 45 years ago today, and was pictured leaving the prison giving photographers the v sign – which she said was 'V for voucher, v for victory' – with her pet dog Sandy.
Cynthia went on to become a TV personality, and was regularly seen sitting on the sofas of chat shows, including the Dame Edna Experience.
Her life was also turned into two films, with Julie Walters portraying a character based on her in the 1987 film Personal Services, and the 1987 film Wish You Were Here, which was based on her childhood growing up on the Sussex coast.
She later died in November 2015 aged 82, with the house in Ambleside Road fetching in the region of £1 million when it was sold and converted into six flats, later put on the market at around £399,000 each.
Despite the notoriety of the house, the current residents told Metro they were in debt to Payne for giving the area an identity.
Folashade Alade told Metro: 'She is very famous around here. I remember when it was her funeral. Obviously she had an interesting life and put the area on the map. Everyone knows about her and is interested in the house.
'I remember going to renew a passport at the passport office in Victoria and the man who was processing the documents saw the address and said excitedly 'Ah, you live next door to Cynthia Payne!'
'It's her who this area is known for, it's incredible. We were all very sad when she died.'
Enrique Viana, 43, a statistician, said: 'I'm originally from Spain but I heard of Cynthia Payne from the film about her. Now I live here and it's a lot of fun that I'm in the area where she was.
'Everyone knows about it and it is a bit of London history. I think it's good for the area – I tell all my friends about it.
'It's an expensive area now with character, I'm sure she helped it become somewhere special.'
A resident of one of the newly-converted flats in the former brothel added: 'It's nothing like it was inside but you do get tourists having a look from the outside. It's a bit of fun and London life.'
Locals said Cynthia used to drink in local called Pratts & Payne, on Streatham High Road, which has now closed. There is no family connection but she was a well known face there.
One neighbour said: 'Cynthia used to go there. I don't know if it was because of the name but she was a regular and I'm sure had many tales to keep regulars amused.'
Following her death, her funeral saw mourners dressed in French maid outfits, policemen while her coffin was decorated with flowers spelling out 'SEX'.
Patrick Littlemore, chief executive of Marsh & Parsons, marketed the new flats built at Payne's former home and emphasised the history of the impressive detached building. More Trending
At the time, he said: 'It's fair to say that this building has a somewhat colourful past but that said, who wouldn't want to live in a home with history?
'These newly refurbished apartments have been finished to an incredibly high standard with interiors that are a far cry from their questionable décor of the seventies – and prospective buyers will be glad to see that there's not a red light in sight!
'We have no doubt that they will attract buyers who will enjoy living within walking distance of all the amenities that Streatham has to offer, in what has become a highly desirable area.'
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