Northern Whig, 2-10 Bridge Street, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT1 1LU

Northern Whig

This is a symmetrical multi-bay three-storey stone building, dated 1820 and designed by John McCutcheon. It is a former commercial building positioned at the corner of Bridge Street and Waring Street in Belfast. The building is rectangular on plan, with its principal elevation facing north onto Waring Street and a secondary redbrick elevation facing west onto Bridge Street.

The principal elevation is dominated by a central colonnaded two-storey block, five windows wide, flanked by recessed entrance bays that connect to three-storey advanced pavilion blocks at either end. The structure features granite ashlar walling over a rusticated granite ashlar ground floor with rusticated granite quoins and a projecting plinth course. The flat roof is hidden behind a lead-lined blocking course with a central raised date stone inscribed 'MDCCCXX'.

The central block of the principal elevation is topped by a dentilled granite entablature supported on engaged Giant Ionic order columns to the upper floor, paired to either end. Decorative carved Portland limestone panels substitute for second floor windows in the central block, while horizontally-divided round-headed window openings to the first floor have plain stone transoms. The remainder of the principal elevation contains diminished second floor windows with 3/3 timber sash windows, with replacement 6/6 timber sash windows elsewhere. Voussoired round-headed recesses to the ground floor house flat-arched granite window openings with voussoired granite flat-arched surrounds and granite sills. A central door opening with replacement timber doors and overlight is positioned in the ground floor. The flanking entrance bays feature Portland limestone Doric porticos with half-fluted columns, responding pilasters, full entablature, and replacement double-leaf timber doors with overlights.

The secondary west elevation is seven windows wide and is surmounted by a plain granite frieze and cornice with rusticated granite quoins. A series of shop display windows and pub front, inserted around 1950, features replacement reconstituted stone surrounds. Five fixed-pane display windows to the ground floor are framed by rusticated piers supporting a frieze and mutuled cornice. The frieze is inscribed 'Northern Whig and Belfast Post' and framed by paired angled brackets. Single-pane timber sash windows occupy the first floor, with diminished openings to the second floor having replacement 3/3 timber sash windows. Replacement double-leaf timber doors are set slightly off-centre with a rendered overpanel bearing copper lettering 'Northern Whig House', providing access to the upper floors, with a further pair of replacement double-leaf timber doors to the left providing access to the ground floor bar. Gauged brick flat-arched window openings with replacement timber sash windows are present throughout this elevation.

The east side elevation is constructed of redbrick with three storeys and irregularly placed flat-arched window openings with replacement timber sash windows and concrete sills. A redbrick accretion, possibly housing a lift shaft, rises from the centre of the rear elevation with blocked openings indicating a previous use. The south elevation is abutted by the adjoining building at No. 12-14.

The building is corner-sited at the junction of Bridge Street and Waring Street with a front railed area to the principal elevation on Waring Street, featuring replacement steel railings on a low concrete plinth wall with matching steel gates. Replacement steel hoppers and downpipes are present to the east elevation only. The south side elevation features redbrick walling laid in Flemish bond.