Kilmarnock Equitable Co-Operative Society, 2-4 Low Glencairn Street, Kilmarnock

Kilmarnock Equitable Co-Operative Society, 2-4 Low Glencairn Street, Kilmarnock

This 2-storey L-plan corner shop complex in the Scots Baronial style was designed possibly by Gabriel Andrew under William Railton around 1895, with alterations carried out by Andrew & Newlands in 1905. It is constructed in coursed red sandstone Ballochmyle ashlar to the principal elevations, with red brick to the sides of the clock gable and coursed red sandstone rubble to part of the north elevation. The building features multiple gables, a base and sill course, eaves cornice, and drip sills to the first floor.

The principal west elevation is essentially 2-storey and 5-bay. The ground floor contains paired shop windows with stone pilaster mullions flanking an inwardly canted central door to the left, a shop window and door to the right, and a further door leading to accommodation above with an additional shop window to the far right. The first floor comprises projecting rectangular window surrounds with half-height deeply chamfered arrises to the 1st and 4th bays, each topped with a crowstepped gable and an inverted semi-circular peacock motif breaking the eaves. To bays 2, 3 and 5 are corbelled 3-light canted bay windows with eaves cornices supporting triangular gableheads. The tympana display a carved round honeycomb effect with cushion and ball finials surmounting.

At the northwest angle, the ground floor features a canted corner. The first floor is distinguished by a heavy squared corbel supporting a 5-sided tower bay window topped with a triangular sculpted pediment that partially conceals the roof and central window. A heavy crowstepped gable adjoins to the rear, featuring a central roundel containing the ornate clock.

The north elevation is essentially 2-storey with 4 bays to the left. The ground floor has a plain door surround to the 2nd bay, a large originally bipartite window to the left, a window to the right of the door, and a larger window to the 4th bay. The first floor features narrow windows to the central bays and bipartite windows to the outer bays, with the left bay now converted to a single double-width window. A crowstepped gable to the first floor left displays a central plaque. The blind to the right of the elevation and the gable end to the far left are now partially concealed. The east rear elevation is partially obscured by the adjoining Hunting Lodge pub. The south elevation originally had a blind gable end, now concealed behind a circa 1982 brick gable strengthening wall.

Windows comprise 2-pane timber sash and case windows to the first floor with horns to the upper sashes, though some have been replaced with PVCu 2-pane glazing. The shop windows feature single-pane plate glass, now partially concealed behind signs and timber panels, though original stone mullions remain. The roof is piended grey slate with a 5-sided canted and piended roof over the towered bay window. Metal ridging, flashing and valleys are present. Six yellow brick chimneys with projecting ashlar neck copes and octagonal cans are positioned along the roofline and gables, with a metal access ladder to the rear chimney. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods feature gutters concealed by the eaves cornice and downpipes held by the first floor sill course.

The ground floor has been subdivided into modern shop units whilst retaining the original room layout. The first floor now provides residential accommodation.