Former Employment Exchange, Portaferry Road, Newtownards, BT23 3NN

Former Employment Exchange

This single-storey brick building, constructed in the late 1940s, stands on the north-east side of Portaferry Road adjacent to the Court Street junction in Newtownards. It is recorded for heritage purposes though not of sufficient special interest to merit formal listing. The building remains an important component of the streetscape, incorporating pleasant detailing and representing the strong domestic architectural style adopted for public service buildings in the immediate post-war period.

The structure is hipped roof and brick built with an unusual high parapet faced in Portland stone. The footprint comprises two adjoining rectangles, each with a Rosemary tiled hipped roof, the rear rectangle being slightly wider. The external walls rise above eaves level to form the distinctive high parapet. The building rests on a 600mm deep Portland stone plinth and possesses a vague William & Mary or Queen Anne influence in its overall character.

The front south-west elevation is symmetrical, with a central recessed timber-panelled double front door (now unused) featuring a rectangular plain fanlight, Portland stone surround and dentilled cornice. To either side is a single sliding sash and case window with Georgian panes in a 6 over 6 configuration, each with matching Portland stone surrounds and cill. Square cast iron downspouts with rain water hoppers flank the far left and right.

The south-east elevation contains three windows matching those on the front elevation to the left-hand side, with a rain water hopper between the first and second. The wider rear rectangle projects forward, with its south-west face featuring a door similar to the front entrance but with a small keystone instead of cornice and a shallower recess. The south-east face of this section has a central mullioned three-bay window with modern uPVC frames. Cast iron rain water hoppers flank both sides.

The north-east rear facade includes a small square projecting porch with flat brick arched flat-panelled door on its south-east face and an uPVC window on its north-east face with small panes. To the right of the porch is an enlarged window opening with uPVC frame and recent large concrete lintel. A sliding sash and case window follows to the right, and an unusual small square louvered opening is positioned at the far right, all with flat brick arches and Portland stone cills.

The north-west face has a door to the far left, followed by two original sliding sash and case windows. Two smaller windows with uPVC frames lie to the right, with one further sliding sash and case window with original surrounds at the far right. Cast iron rain water downspouts and hoppers are positioned at the far left and between the second and third windows.

The building was constructed as Newtownards Employment Exchange in the late 1940s. It was abandoned in the early 1960s and subsequently had short-term tenants and periods of dereliction over the next 25 years. In 1995, the Department of Agriculture took possession and refurbished it for use by their Agriculture Services Department. It remains in use as an office and is government-owned.