Wednesday, September 03, 2014

ABC Wednesday: H is for
Hetherington's Private Dining Rooms


Hetherington's Private Dining Rooms stands on the corner of Pollard Street and Boond Street in the New Islington area of Manchester.

This building dates from 1889 and was built as a private dining rooms for John Hetherington & Sons of Vulcan Works, Pollard Street. It was designed by Stott & Sons, the Oldham & Manchester architects who were noted cotton mill architects. The building control plans survive in the care of Manchester City Council. The Private Dining Rooms would not have been a works canteen but would have been for the directors and entertaining of customers. The dining room itself occupied the raised ground floor, above a semi-basement, and had large windows; the diners would have been able to keep an eye on comings and goings at the works! The top storey was a flat for the caretaker, but the plans do not state what the first floor was used for, possibly this was the kitchen with the basement being used for storage. There was a hoist serving all floors. The structure is divided into four bays by steel girders supported by cast-iron columns which have spiral decoration to the capitals.

It has been empty since at least 1999 but so far has remarkably survived while other buildings in the area have been demolished or restored.

A contribution to
Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors;
Rubbish Tuesday;
ABC Wednesday.

9 comments:

  1. They should restore it. What a beautiful building it could be.

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  2. what a shame that it has fallen into such disrepair. It looks like it has been quite an imposing structure in its day.

    Diana

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  3. What a beautiful building, well it was once beautiful. Tom The Backroads Traveller

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  4. Sounds like it deserves to be preserved and renovated.

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  5. I agree, I hope it can be restored. It has a lot of potential, especially with those enormous windows! Wasn't that pretty unusual in 1889? Nice find!

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  6. Sad! What once was shining is in shambles now.

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  7. What an awesome structure. Much character. Thank you for sharing.

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  8. This building deserved to be renovated...

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