Britannia Hotel

The Britannia Hotel, formerly known as Watts Warehouse, is a large and imposing warehouse, constructed between 1851 and 1856 by Travis and Mangnall. It represents the most grandiose example of Manchester's warehouses and is designated a building of group value. The building is constructed of sandstone ashlar, with a granite base to a massive chamfered plinth. It has a large rectangular plan, parallel to the street, and five storeys with a basement and roof pavilions, spanning 23 bays in a symmetrical design.

The architectural style is eclectic palazzo. The ground floor features channelled rustication, while the first and second floors have further rustication. Fluted corner pilasters rise to each upper floor. There are prominent cornices over the second, third and fourth floors, the third floor cornice being dentilled. Four large, rectangular pavilions are symmetrically placed at the ends of the building and flanking a seven-bay central section.

The window openings are treated in different styles on each floor, all recessed behind the facade. Ground floor windows are round-headed with stepped voussoirs and keystones, alternately enriched with herms and ship-prows; coupled doorways in the seventh and eighth, and sixteenth and seventeenth bays include round-headed arches on coupled columns, mask keystones and internal steps. First floor windows are square-headed, with balustrades and Elizabethan-style enrichment, including carved swan-neck pediments with urn finials. Second floor windows are square and incorporate colonette-in-antis screens. The third floor windows are taller and round-headed, with imposts and keystones. Fourth floor windows are set within continuous colonnades of short, square columns with carved caps. Each pavilion has panelled pilasters, cornice, parapet (originally with shaped gables) and two large Gothic wheel-windows. The returned ends are in a matching style with wheel-windows in five bays, strapwork in the outer bays, and balustraded parapets.

Inside, the entrance porch contains a war memorial dating to around 1920, featuring a bronze sculptural group and inscribed tablet. The entrance hall is notable for its spectacular open staircase of cast-iron, with flying lateral flights at each floor, designed to resemble a succession of “Ponte Rialtos”.