Shops and Offices St Ann’s Square Manchester

IMPROVEMENT ST. ANN'S SQUARE - The house in which the banking business of Sir Benjamin Heywood and Co. was carried on in St. Ann's square, while the new premises at the other corner were building, is now razed to the ground; and in the course a few weeks we expect to see a structure of great elegance rising its place. The architect of the building is Mr Gregan, of Cooper-street, who designed and superintended the erection of the new bank, and, from the elevation for the proposed structure, drawn by him for Sir Benjamin Heywood, we find that it is to have a circular front instead of a square one, as formerly. The corporation have, we believe, procured this alteration, and have purchased the piece of ground, about fifteen square yards, given up to the town, and it will be added to the street, thereby rendering the approach to the Ducie-place side of the Exchange more convenient, and opening up a more comprehensive view of the portico of the Exchange. The building is to comprise cellars, a large shop on the basement, already let to Messrs. Hunt, Roskell and Company, of Princess Street (and Bond Street, London), and offices above, in the various storeys. The whole length of frontage from Mr. Yates' shop to the limit of the premises in Bank-street is twenty-six yards, of which the circular portion will take nineteen yards. The entrance to the shop will be in the centre of the semicircle, —to the offices in Bank-street. The character of the design is Italian, comprehending handsomely-dressed windows upon the first and second storeys (especially the principal one on the first storey, over the door of the shop, which will correspond in detail to those at the same elevation in the bank), and a bold cornice to finish the whole. The points at which the semicircle will join Mr. Yates' shop and the plane side of the building in Bank Street, will be embellished with rusticated quoins, to give variety. The great aim at the present day in building shops, is to put as much plate-glass as possible into the window, and, in effecting this, the basement storey, in many cases, is so completely stripped of all apparent support, that the upper storeys seem to be super-imposed upon nothing; for though there are iron pillars, sufficient to support the weight, placed the proper positions, yet they are studiously concealed. This is held by many to be a false principle, and Mr. Gregan has determined so to deal with the arrangements for the shop windows as to have a large and unbroken area for the display of goods, but also to preserve the appearance as well as secure the reality of strength. The front will be divided into five sections, by four stone pilasters, with enriched capitals, and supporting an elegant cornice. One of the divisions will be for entrance to the shop, the other four for windows. Each window will be fitted with mahogany frame, and filled by single plate of glass, measuring 9ft. by 5 feet 6in. It expected that the building, when erected', will be one of the most elegant the town, and stand worthily by the side of that noble structure, the Exchange. [Manchester Courier 4 May 1850 page 9]

Reference Manchester Courier 4 May 1850 page 9
Reference Builder 11 May 1850 page 225