187 High Street, Perth

187 High Street is a substantial four-storey, six-bay tenement and shop building dating from 1898 to 1900, designed by William Alexander of Dundee. Subsequent work included interior restoration by GPK Young following a fire in 1924, alterations in the 1950s and 1960s, the addition of a canopy in 1967, and an extension and renovation in 1981 by Gordon and Dry Partnership. The High Street frontage was designed by MacLaren & Mackay of Perth in 1897. The building is constructed of distinctive red sandstone and presents a striking classical facade, notable for its prominent shouldered and corniced wallhead stacks.

The main, south-facing elevation features a canopied theatre entrance leading through an ironwork gate and a two-leaf, part-glazed panelled timber door positioned left of centre at ground level. To the left is an inset door, and to the right are two modern shops. The fenestration above is consistent across each floor, with a single window to the left of centre, followed by two bipartite windows, and another bipartite window to the right of centre, with a single and then a tripartite window beyond. The west-facing elevation towards Cutlog Vennel features windows and a door in low-piended ashlar bays, transitioning to a later timber link connecting to the brick theatre building. A plain, piended brick elevation faces Mill Street to the north.

The interior is accessed via the ground floor of the tenement and stairs leading to a foyer with decorative cast iron trusses supporting a glass roof. A relief sculpture by Scott Sutherland from 1969, alongside a re-sited memorial stone laid by George Alexander, are also present in the foyer. A particularly fine rococo auditorium, with a horseshoe plan circle and balcony, is a key feature. The auditorium incorporates narrow cast iron columns, a bowed balcony front with consoled features, and a straight upper balcony front with swag detailing. Fluted Ionic pilasters are located below the boxes, with Ionic-capitalled baluster shafts flanking them, while Corinthian pilasters with ornamented shafts are found above. Arched panels are positioned over the boxes and proscenium. The ceiling of the auditorium was replaced in 1924 and is now plain.