Former Union Bank of Manchester, 5 South Parade

MATERIALS: ashlar, granite, slate roof, leaded dome. Edwardian Mannerist.

PLAN: rectangular building on south side of South Parade, three storeys and attic; former banking hall on ground floor, offices and residential accommodation on upper floors. Secondary entrance to King Street side elevation with staircase to rear of building.

EXTERIOR: front elevation of three bays. Central square tower with dentil cornice and octagonal stone lantern with leaded cupola missing original finial, lantern flanked by four giant seated female allegorical figures. Ground floor has rusticated granite plinth with smooth granite band to sill level. Central round-arched doorway with moulded hoodmould and giant keystone, heavily chamfered granite reveals, fielded panel double doors with lintel and semi-circular overlight. Large rectangular window to each side with decorative glazing bars. First and second floors articulated by giant pilasters culminating in segmental pediment to each side of central tower. Rectangular first-floor casements with glazed double doors open onto shallow balconies with curved iron balcony balustrades. Central casement has circular stone plaque above (probably originally supporting bank name plaque), both set in elongated doorcase of engaged columns with broken-base triangular pediment. Above pediment is relief carving of two allegorical figures representing Justice, one holding scales and the other a sword, seated to either side of small circular window with laurel wreath frame. Narrow rectangular window to tower above with elongated keystone and giant dentils. Round-headed second-floor windows in two outer bays with aprons carved with Art Nouveau cartouches. Seated on the round-headed window heads are two further pairs of allegorical figures representing the Arts; the left pair represent an artist with palette and brush and a musician holding a lyre; the right pair represent an architect holding a model of a building similar in appearance to the bank, and a sculptor holding a small statue. Between the figures are shields bearing a coat of arms with three diagonal stripes and a sailing ship. Within the segmental pediments above are small casement windows.

East side elevation similarly detailed, with giant pilasters. Three storeys with two single-storey bays to left; doorway in left-hand bay with granite architrave, square casement window above with giant dentil over with elongated cartouche and ribbon with relief initials UBM.

INTERIOR: former banking hall retains two square columns and a pilaster to the rear faced in dark grey marble, now partially painted. Modern bar counter. Two front rooms on first floor, with painted metal beams supported on two columns. Chimney breast in each room, fireplaces removed. Landing with concrete dogleg staircase with plain metal balustrades to upper floors; residential accommodation not inspected. Basement strong room with solid strong-room door and inner iron-bar door.