20-22 Market Street

This building, built in 1921, is a shop with a social hall located above it, originally constructed for the Norwich Co-operative Society. The designer is currently unknown.

The building is constructed of red brick, primarily laid in a Flemish bond pattern, with the upper storey rendered and finished with a plain-tiled roof featuring curved ridge tiles. The plan is rectangular.

The principal elevation faces Market Street to the south. The upper storey is rendered, contrasting with the bare brick of the lower storey. The roof is hipped, incorporating dentilled eaves and four gablets – one at each end (east and west) and two on the front elevation. A small, central, hexagonal cupola sits atop the roof. The building is two storeys high and five bays wide on the front, extending to three bays on the west elevation facing Mundesley Road. The gablets on the front elevation are punctuated by arched, multi-paned windows, each protected by a brick hoodmould with voussoirs creating a radiating pattern. The end bays each feature a two-light, rectangular, multi-paned window, while the central bay has a three-light, rectangular, multi-paned window. The five bays are visually separated at ground floor level by six panelled-brick pilasters laid in English bond. Shop fronts are positioned between all but the easternmost bay, which contains a pair of double doors. All shop fronts and the double doors are topped by a dentil course above horizontal, diamond-paned windows, with larger panes below. The second and fourth bays have shallow, canted shop fronts. The central bay contains a recessed entrance with glazed shop fronts featuring angled, multi-paned glass doors on either side. The entrance recess is finished with black and white chequered ceramic floor tiles and a decorative, panelled-wood ceiling.

The side elevation to Mundesley Road has three bays articulated by pilasters mirroring those on the front, and features three horizontal, three-light, multi-paned windows on each storey.

The ground floor interior is largely an open space, with a room containing restaurant kitchen fittings from the 21st century located at the rear, alongside modern cloakrooms. The floors are wooden, and the ceiling is made of wooden planks. An arched division is centrally located, with markings indicating a previous walled partition on the floor. The easternmost bay provides a separate entrance to access the upper floor, leading to a wood-panelled stairwell with a dogleg staircase and stick balusters. A small room containing 21st-century toilets is situated off the half-way landing.

The upper floor’s main function room is accessed through a set of double doors within a large wooden doorcase that incorporates reed panelling and a canopied lintel. The room is panelled throughout and includes a wooden dance floor. A stage, accessed by three steps, is positioned at the west end, surrounded by a balustrade featuring splat balusters, which are believed to be a later addition.