127-133, PORTLAND STREET

Nos. 127 to 133 on Portland Street in Manchester are various shipping warehouses that have been repurposed, with No. 133 currently serving as a bank. Built in 1860 by P. Nunn for Louis Behrens and Sons, the buildings have undergone alterations. The structure features some sandstone ashlar but is primarily constructed of red brick with sandstone dressings, and the roof is concealed. It has an irregular plan on a large trapezoidal corner site, rounded at the corner facing Oxford Street.

The building stands four storeys tall with a basement and consists of 23 bays plus a two-window corner. The design emphasizes strong horizontal lines, including a stone plinth, channelled rusticated facings on the piers and doorway surrounds at the ground floor, and a moulded stone cornice above. Rusticated quoins accentuate the corners, while a moulded sill-band runs along the third floor, topped by a brick parapet with stone coping.

At the ground floor, there are three pairs of segmental-headed loading bay entrances featuring run-out voussoirs and voluted keystones, along with a round-headed doorway in a similar style. These entrances alternate with groups of three sashed windows above basement openings. The bank at the right-hand end has a corner doorway with an elaborately moulded surround and coupled plate-glass windows on each side wall.

The first and second floors create a continuous arcade of giant round-headed arches with moulded imposts and keyed heads. The first floor has segmental-headed sashes, while the second floor features round-headed sashes, with brick panels in between. The third floor contains pairs of small square-headed sashes. The corner and the four-bay return match the overall style of the building. This structure forms a group with No. 61 Oxford Street.