ABC Wednesday: H is forHetherington'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.

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