53, 53A, 55 AND 57, PARADE

53, 53A, 55, and 57 Parade are three houses that have been converted into shops, built around 1818 to 1830 with later additions and alterations. Notable changes include a shop front added around 1900 to the left (No. 53) and mid-20th century shop fronts at the ground floors of the two right dwellings (Nos. 55 and 57). The buildings are constructed of pinkish-brown brick with painted stucco facades, featuring a concealed roof and a cast-iron balcony.

The exterior consists of four storeys with seven first-floor windows arranged in a 2-3-2 pattern. The central bay projects from the first floor and is taller than the others. The ground floor shows remnants of horizontal rustication. From the first to the second floor, there are twelve Tuscan pilasters: two at each end of the outer bays, one at each end of the central projection, and one between each window. The frieze is decorated with wreaths, and there is a cornice above.

On the first floor, there are tall 6/9 sash windows with blind boxes, while the second floor features 6/6 sash windows with sills. The third floor has 3/6 sash windows, all with plain reveals. The building is topped with a cornice, low parapet, and copings, including a central panel with anthemion decoration, a dentil frieze, and additional cornice and parapet details.

The ground floor has a pair of original entrances for Nos. 53A and 55, featuring a common tristyle Roman Doric porch with a frieze and cornice. There are three roll-edged steps leading to ornate-panelled doors, one of which is part-glazed, with overlights that have glazing bars. The entrances have plain reveals, tooled surrounds, and horizontal rustication. The entrance to the left (No. 53) consists of a plate-glass door within a projecting glazed shop front, which has a panelled plinth and decorative pilasters, along with a continuous overlight. The first floor has a continuous balcony that projects over the porch, supported by a balustrade featuring a double-heart-and-anthemion motif from the Carron Company.

The interior has not been inspected. Historically, this area was originally called Lillington Lane, renamed Union Row around 1809 and then Union Parade in 1814. Most construction activity occurred in the lower section between 1810 and 1818, with further development on the upper section's east side from 1824 to 1840. Initially built as houses, hotels, and lodging houses, by 1850, most of these buildings had been converted into shops.