Wan-Ho Chinese Takeaway, 10 Merchants Quay, Newry, Co Down, BT35 6AH

Wan-Ho Chinese Takeaway, at 10 Merchants Quay, is a three-and-a-half storey two-bay ashlar granite shop with house over and two rear returns. Built in the early 19th century (1800–1819), it occupies a prominent corner position at the junction of Merchants Quay and Edward Street. Though historically significant and imposing in its original form, the building has undergone extensive modern alterations that have compromised its architectural character, and it has lost substantial internal details.

The building has a pitched roof with artificial slates set to overhanging boxed eaves with bargeboards on the gables. Single Velux skylights feature on each pitch, and rendered chimneys project from the right gable with metal rainwater goods. The walls are cement rendered except for the finely dressed granite ashlar of the first and second floors of the front facade. All windows are set close to the outside face of the walls with semi-exposed boxes.

The main shop entrance is positioned diagonally at the right corner of the front facade and comprises two tongue-and-groove timber leaves with a rectangular transom light above. The entrance to the upper floors is at the left end of the facade, a six-panel door with a plain rectangular transom light. Between these doors is a large fixed timber shop window divided into 12 lights (4×3), with top-hung lights at the top left and right. A plastic box sign reading "Wan-Ho Chinese & European Take-Away" is affixed to a timber fascia board between ground and first floor, with three spotlights above. The first floor has three equally spaced top-hung casement windows with granite cills and metal security grilles. Second floor windows are diminished in size. A satellite dish and projecting name sign occupy the lower right corner of the first floor. A cast-iron rainwater pipe runs down the facade at the left. The right gable has a shop window identical to that on the front facade towards its right end at ground level, with the timber fascia continuing around the corner. First floor windows on this gable have metal grilles, and second floor windows are diminished. At attic level, set right of centre, is a single-pane window. A water pipe runs diagonally from cill level under the right-hand second floor window to the right side of the gable and continues vertically to ground.

The rear elevation comprises a one-and-a-half storey return abutting at the left and a three-storey stairwell return abutting at the right. The left return has a pitched artificial slate roof with metal rainwater goods, a tall chimney rising from the middle of its street-facing wall, and a painted timber door with timber jambs and horizontal head. To the left of the door are two horizontally-divided 2/2 exposed box sliding sash windows with metal grilles. A metal stairway runs up the outside of this return on the yard side. The three-storey stairwell return at the right of the main block's rear elevation has a pitched artificial slate roof married into the rear pitch of the main roof, with three windows on its end gable—one between ground and first floor, one between first and second floor, and another between second floor and attic.

Historical records show a building of approximately this size on the site in 1836, then belonging to James Quinn and comprising a house, stores, office and yard with a valuation of £48, one of the highest on Merchants Quay, indicating a substantial property. The 1838 Valuation map shows steps leading up to the left entrance of the main facade. By 1863, the building had been subdivided into a shop on the ground floor and a house above. A Lawrence photograph of circa 1870 shows the building with a shop front to the right and house entrance at left, but with notable differences to its present form: the door had a semicircular overlight, first floor windows were 6/6 sliding sash, and top floor windows were 6/3 sliding sash. Valuation records from 1866 onwards suggest no major rebuild occurred.

The building was delisted on 29 March 2006, its modern alterations and loss of significant internal details deeming it no longer worthy of protected status, despite its prominent position within the conservation area.