11a and 12a, The Corridor

Nos. 11A and 12A, The Corridor are shops forming the western end of an arcade, built in 1825 by H.E. Goodridge, with alterations dating to 1870. They are constructed of limestone ashlar, with the first floor painted, and the roof is not visible from the street. The shops flank the entrance to The Corridor and contribute to a continuous frontage along Union Passage.

The exterior is three storeys, with three bays across their width. The ground floor features shopfronts with plate glass windows, flanked by freestanding, unfluted Greek Doric columns in pink granite (originally stone), which support a two-storey opening into the arcade. These columns and the opening are part of the 1870s alterations. The first floor of No. 11A has a tripartite six/six sash window, flanked by two/two sashes; the first floor of No. 12A has a plain plate glass window in place of the original sash window. The upper floor has paired six/six sashes (originally a single sash) to No. 11A, a two/two sash in a rusticated surround in the centre, and a single six/six sash to No. 12A. A cornice tops the building, and the roof is not visible. A two-storey passage runs through to the centre, with upper walls featuring pilasters supporting consoles and ceiling beams.

The Corridor was initially known as Goodridge’s Corridor and is an early example of a shopping arcade outside London, contemporary with similar developments in Bristol. The original arcade had a glazed roof with coloured glass and heavy timber skylights. Built on the site of a medieval close known as Marchant’s Court, the shops were originally open stalls similar to those in London’s Lowther Arcade. The shop fronts visible today date from the 1870 alterations, with those of Nos 8, 9 and 10 dating to around 1900. The arcade was damaged by an I.R.A. bomb in 1974, and much of the current glazing dates from that time. This is a notable late Georgian retail development, exhibiting Goodridge’s characteristic Greek Revival style. The structure may incorporate earlier fabric from facades designed by Thomas Baldwin around 1806.