I agree with you. I've worked in a few of those. Though I remember the "Doctor Who' is it" I was never a devoted fan. Most of my 'N' scale layouts included a few shops, old farms and camping sites. I grew up in northeast Wisconsin.
I have a few on my Richmond, Texas NTRAK modules. As the actual town of Richmond is the home of Jim Hinds and his company Richmond Control (special FXs lighting for model railroading), I built up a whimsical representation of his house. I wish I had a photo of it but can't find any. It all started at a train show where I had the modules set up in large multi club layout. A vendor there was selling N scale sky scraper models. Jim borrowed a 3 foot tall building and placed it on a grassy field at one end of the module when I was off shopping. He even fashioned a sign for it saying "1 Richmond Control Plaza". Everyone got a big laugh out of it. Before the next show where I planned on setting up the same modules, on the same spot he had placed the sky scraper, I put together a run down building with a huge flashing Richmond Control billboard on top. Junk cars and other trash were scattered about and a there was a huge moon shine still in the back yard. Inside the building, all the rooms had randomly flashing lights. Out front, were a couple of police cars with flashing lights. Jim got a big kick out of it. On another section of the module at the edge of town I have a house trailer. Evidently back in the 1950s, there was a "house-of-ill-repute" known as "Miss Kitty's". I gathered enough information from some of the old timers to model it. No labels or signs, just set out there about where it was in real life. You can always tell when someone who grew up in those parts comes by and starts pointing and snickering. This photo is just set up on a diorama and not on the Richmond modules.