Prestige Building (1937 Range Only)

BURNLEY

SD8433SW COLNE ROAD 906-1/10/48 (West side) 02/05/95 Prestige Building (1937 range only)

II

Factory. 1937. By Wallis, Gilbert and Partners, for Burnley Corporation. Red brick in stretcher bond with deep bands of soldier coursing, concrete dressings (now texture-coated), metal-framed and a flat roof concealed but probably asphalt. Modernist style. Long rectangular plan parallel to road with office block projected from the centre (extensive workshops to rear not included). EXTERIOR: 2 storey centre of 1:5:1 bays, with long single-storey 4-window side ranges; symmetrical, and strongly rectilinear; with white concrete plinths, sillbands, and narrow sunk friezes with simple projected cornices. The centre has a giant 5-bay rectangular recess with splayed concrete reveals moulded in 3 orders, a tall ground floor guarded by 6 free-standing concrete columnar lamp standards which have vertical ovolo-and-fillet moulding and are surmounted by ovoid-shaped metal lamps with oval glazing (resembling helmets); a large square-headed doorway in the centre with glazed double doors furnished with long pendent brass handles curved at the foot and a large rectangular overlight with Art Deco curvilinear glazing bars; one large square-headed window in each of the other bays; a broad band of soldier coursing over these openings, and continuous fenestration at 1st floor with a rippled concrete apron. The outer bays each have a 2-storey window to the height of the recess, and the "entablature" to the whole of this block is a thick sandwich of stretcher bond between bands of soldier coursing (now with "THE PRESTIGE GROUP PLC" in large attached lettering). The 4-window set-back side ranges are lower and have wide oblong 3-light windows with flat-faced concrete mullions and concrete lintels. The 2-window left return is in matching style; the right-hand return has an exposed basement with former loading bay. INTERIOR: fine entrance hall containing doglegged staircase with smooth marble wall and brass handrail. HISTORY: built by Burnley Corporation development Committee to ameliorate the effects of the decline of the cotton industry in the town; designed by Wallis, Gilbert & Partners, architects of (inter alia) the Firestone Factory, Brentwood, and the Hoover Factory in London.

Listing NGR: SD8420933171