Cobden Working Men'S Club

Working Men's Club. Built in 1880 by Pennington and Brigden. The building is constructed of grey brick with red brick dressings and a ground floor on a Portland stone plinth. It is three storeys high, with a staircase positioned on either side of bars on the two lower floors, and a double-height theatre above, extending into a projecting gable. The asymmetrical design features a regular three-bay centre, with a single window for the door and staircase on either side. A narrow two-bay extension to the left covers a carriageway and contains the manager’s accommodation. Upper windows are metal casements; those to the theatre have round-arched tracery, and those to the staircases have margin lights containing coloured glass. The ground floor has arched windows with toplights. Modern doors are set under rounded openings with gauged brickwork and toplights. The building has a parapet and gable with stone arcaded edging. A band above the first floor is inscribed "COBDEN WORKING MEN'S CLUB AND INSTITUTE."

Inside, turned baluster staircases lead to public rooms that extend the full height of the building. The ground floor bar retains a fireplace and surround, with cast-iron columns and cornices concealed by a false ceiling. Similar columns and cornicing on the first floor are boxed in and obscured. The second-floor theatre has five bays, with female heads supporting each timber truss. A stage is located at the north end within a panelled surround. The side walls are arcaded, with pairs of double doors incorporating coloured margin lights on either side. A contemporary pay box or bat is positioned at the eastern entrance. The building is notable as an early example of a purpose-built working men's club, retaining many original features, particularly the contemporary theatre or song room on its upper level.