Walkers, Bank Buildings, 54 Bridge Street, Banbridge, Co Down, BT32 3JU

An Italianate stucco three-and-a-half-storey-over-basement two-bay terraced former bank; built c.1865 and converted into a shop in 1907. Located to the west side of Bridge Street in Banbridge town centre. Square on plan with double-height gabled return and single-storey lean-to porch to rear. Pitched natural slate roof with raised stone verges and rendered chimneystacks. Cast-iron ogee rainwater goods on projecting dentilled eaves. Walling is painted smooth render with string course between floors and string course at impost level to upper floors. Windows are round-arched (segmental-arched to second floor) timber sliding sash with moulded archivolts to impost level, keyblock and continuous sills. 1/1 to first floor; 2/2 to second floor with horizontal glazing bars; modern shop-front with plate-glass windows to ground floor. The principal elevation faces east and is two sets of paired windows wide to upper floors. Ground floor has, at left, a bolection-moulded raised-and-fielded six panel timber door in shouldered opening with brass door furniture in a moulded reveal accessed by a single bull-nosed stone step and surmounted by a round-arched blind overlight with corbels and keyblock. To centre is a modern shop-front with two plate-glass windows flanking a central recessed doorway with glazed metal-framed door. Applied lettering above doorway reads “WALKERS SOFT FURNISHINGS”. Porch has modern square tiles. The south elevation is almost entirely abutted by the adjoining building. The west (rear) elevation is abutted by the double-height gabled return with modern timber door to left of centre. Asymmetrical fenestration to upper floors; two windows to left at first and second floor; between them to right is a stairwell window. The north elevation is almost entirely abutted by the adjoining listed building (HB17/06/021). Setting Prominently sited at the northern end of the main thoroughfare in the centre of the town. Street-facing with car-park to rear and adjoining listed building to north (HB17/06/021). Roof: Natural slate Walling: Smooth render Windows: Timber RWG: Cast-iron