Lancaster Buildings

Lancaster Buildings is a block of shops and offices built between 1936 and 1940, designed by Hickton and Madeley. The structure features a steel frame with a red brick facade, adorned with stone and false-marble dressings, and has metal-framed windows beneath a plain tile hipped roof. The ground floor contains 12 shops of various sizes, along with a basement and two upper storeys.

On the Market Street elevation, the central office entrance boasts double bronze doors set within a Travertine marble surround, flanked by columns. The adjacent shop units feature large plate glass windows, with stall risers clad in Verte Tinos marble, and cream filled-Travertine mullions and fascias. The corners of the building have curved windows and lobbies that retain their original doors. Above the ground floor, a concrete awning is topped with glass bricks and a bronze fascia. This design, including the original shop fittings, continues around the building.

At the first and second floor levels, the metal-framed windows are highlighted by projecting stone surrounds. The Market Cross side has five central bays, while New Street, Cheapside, and High Street each have seven bays. The corners are slightly recessed and rounded, featuring longer strip windows. The Cheapside elevation is stepped at the center to allow light to reach buildings across the road, with two-bay projecting wings at either end. A rectangular courtyard is located at the center of the building.

Inside, the bronze panelled doors facing Market Cross open into a lobby lined with Travertine panelling and fluted pilaster strips. The staircase includes a central lift and a bronze balustrade with simple mouldings. This well-designed office building with shops retains a significant number of original features, particularly in the shop fronts.