1-7, Charing Cross

This building, known as Nos. 1-7 Charing Cross, is a range of seven shops and offices, originally including a bank, constructed in 1901 by architects Douglas and Minshull. The ground floor is made of brick, while the upper section features ashlar stonework, topped with a Westmorland slate roof. The structure has two storeys and presents a four-bay elevation to Charing Cross, with a corner block and a return elevation to Grange Road West consisting of two bays.

The elevation facing Charing Cross includes wide segmental arches for each shop front, which have been filled in with 20th-century fronts. Above each bay, there are three paired trefoiled windows with transoms and leaded lights, creating a continuous appearance. The building is crowned with a balustraded parapet supported by corbels, and the steeply pitched roof features two small gabled dormers with leaded lights. Cast-iron rainwater goods and gargoyles are positioned between each unit.

The asymmetrical corner block has canted towers on each side, which are corbelled out over the ground floor and topped with conical roofs. Each tower has bands of lancet windows on the first floor, with a plain panelled band above. The central gable is flanked by paired arched windows on either side of a central door in the Decorated style, which features shafts and deep moulding. The first floor has triple lancets beneath a stepped arched hoodmould, with ogee lancets grouped in threes above. Below the eaves, there is blind interlace tracery panelling.

To the right, a stair tower projects, featuring small windows for the stairwell and a band of lancet lights below the eaves. The elevation to Grange Road West has inserted shop fronts at the ground floor and three paired lancet windows with transoms and moulded over-arches above. Each gable is topped with stone coping and features leaded lancet lights in the attic. Statues are positioned in crocketted niches on either side of the first-floor windows. The building has end wall stacks and presents a varied and lively treatment of this important corner site.