Universal Providers, 86 Golborne Road

Universal Providers, at 86 Golborne Road, is a late 19th-century shop front and ground floor interior, originally fitted out for the David Greig chain of grocery stores. The shop front faces south onto Golborne Road and occupies the ground floor of a three-storey building.

The exterior is constructed with deep-brown gloss ceramic tiles, pink granite coping, and a mahogany frame. The symmetrical, double-fronted shop has a recessed central entrance. A large one-over-one pane sash window sits to the right of the entrance, while a single-pane fixed window is to the left. Above the windows, a fascia displays “Universal Providers” and the number “86” in gold leaf lettering behind brown-painted glass. An iron canopy frame, security shutter, and horizontal display rods are inset into the fascia. The tiled mosaic floor of the entrance features a large central thistle motif, which has been repaired with brightly coloured filler. Mahogany pilasters frame the plate-glass side windows of the entrance, and the hardwood front door has two solid panels below and plate glass above, separated by a transom. The external door handles and letter-box are reclaimed replacements, but the internal bell is original.

Inside, display areas at the base of each front window are delineated by light-grey marble slabs. The main shop area features a tiled counter with a light-grey marbled work-top, running along the east side. The walls are covered in cream gloss ceramic tiles, with thistle detailing and a deep frieze of green thistle motifs around the top. A section of the west wall has damaged tiles where a shelf has been removed. At the rear of the shop, the wall is tiled in the same deep-brown as the exterior. A central payment booth is inset into this wall, featuring a tiled round arch with a projecting keystone and a counter below. The booth retains some 19th-century timber fittings and is connected to a vestibule with 20th-century fittings to the west, and a back office area with a former cold-store door to the east. The shop floor is made up of mosaic tiles with Greek key detailing, while the ceiling is plain and fitted with 20th-century recessed lighting. Behind the payment booth are the remains of a previous cold store.