The Imperial Hotel

Commercial building in French renaissance style on a corner site, main façade to Princes Drive with return façade to Station Road. A balanced composition which comprises the main (Imperial Hotel) building with angled corner bay and 3 and 5 bay elevations to Princes Drive and Station Road respectively. Attached 2 bay end brick blocks to both elevations.

Imperial Hotel of roughcast brick with stone dressings. Steeply pitched slate roof, hipped at angle, shallow bracketed eaves and decorative ridge cresting. Gabled dormers with decorated bargeboards with finials. Red brick ridge stacks with yellow brick dressings and decorative pots. Paired plain sash windows with arched heads, architrave surrounds and projecting cills. Continuous cill course to first and second floors. 3 storey and attic. 3-bay Princes Drive elevation with to right 2 storey projecting bay window of 3 lights and single narrow side lights. To central bay double door with pilasters, formerly with stone portico. Display window with cornice and fascia to ground floor left, continuous from corner bay and Station Road façade. Gable dormers, paired to right hand bay. 2 ridge stacks. Elevation to Station Road of 5 bays (2+2+1) with advanced outer bays and then angled corner bay. Central recessed bay with to left full height oriel under hipped gable. Altered shop front to left, and hotel display window (continuation from Princes Drive) to remainder with wide doorway to left and framed glazing elsewhere. 3 ridge stacks. Corner bay formerly with door, now window to ground floor.

End blocks to both Princes Drive and Station Road of plain brick and slate roofs as before. Both of 2 bays and set slightly higher with plain eaves and expressed geometric framing as imitation timber framing. Paired large pane sash windows with square heads and projecting cills. Plain gable dormers. Princes Drive has castellated brick bay window to ground floor, single window to left and door to right. Station Road has oriel window to first floor of left bay and original shop front to ground floor.

Ground floor only inspected. Much altered. Upper floors not inspected but said to retain in part the original plan form and constructional and decorative features which are part of the special interest of the building.