Long’s Supermarket

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 15 bay long 3 storey flat roof former shirt factory with 4 storey pavilion blocks at each end, both 3 bays wide in an eclectic neo classical style. The external material in a mixture of red brick and painted smooth rendering. At the time of survey the building was in the process of major renovation and adaptation.

The east elevation which fronts onto Strand Road has a 15 bay long 3 storey centre part with 3 bay 4 storey pavilions at each end. The centre part is articulated by tall smooth rendered pilasters with freely interpreted capitals. The windows and spandrel walls are set back to give a deep reveal to the pilasters. Originally the windows were industrial type metal subdivided into small Georgian like panes of glass. Later these were removed and timber windows inserted divided into 9 approximately square panes. Presently these are being substituted with new windows of less height as the ceilings within are being reduced in height and a centre door added. Shallow balconies are being created with galv. metal balustrading. The spandrels are thus cut into by these doors.

The pilasters support a deep frieze and cornice finished in painted rendering and above a solid parapet in brick and plaster. A new entrance at ground floor has been created at the Northern end of the centrepiece.

The end pavilions are identical with the centre bay picked out with enclosing broad pilasters and fenestration as before. The bays on each are faced with redbrick and have single metal windows on each floor. Some of these windows retain their original metal frames. The 3rd floor is designed as a classical attic storey.

The N and S elevations of the pavilions are similarly treated except at ground floor where there was entrance doors at each end having a wide smooth plastered surround.

The west or rear elevation is undergoing major change. The ground floor extends out into the carpark with flat roof. A 4 storey narrow width block projects 3 bays. The upper floors are divided into bays by broad vertical bands of redbrick which continue to the top of the parapet. The end pavilions are similarly treated.

The building was originally a shirt factory, later some 15 years ago the ground floor was adapted to supermarket use. At present the supermarket is being extended to the rear and the upper floors adapted to flats. The flat roof has been reasphalted and behind the parapet there is an arrangement of stacks accommodating ventilation.

The building is set back 5 metres from back of footwalk and approximately 600mm above it.

Historical information

One of the last large shirt factory buildings to be built in Derry. It was began in 1921 for Messrs Wilkinson and the architect was R.E. Buchanan & Co. Later it became Bryce and Weston Ltd. It is recorded under this ownership in the 1950s. After it ceased to be a shirt factory in the 1970s Messrs Long purchased the property and converted the ground floor to a supermarket. In 1999 work began on extending the supermarket into the car park and adapting the upper floors to flats. The work is not yet complete. The builder is Louerne Homes Ltd of Strabane and the architect is Michael Galbraith, Buncrana.

References

Primary Sources
1. Deposited drawings in Surveyor’s dept. Londonderry Corporation.

Secondary Sources
1. UAHS Buildings in and near the City of Derry p.47
2. Derry Directory 1954.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A well composed industrial building in an eclectic neo-classical style, of robust proportions with good modelling. The interior has been changed and the rear of the building extended but the front façade and end elevations retain the essentials of first design. As part of the apartment conversion individual galvanised steel balconies have been added to the front elevation and windows are now plastic.The relatively recent date of construction (1921) means that the building would only merit listing if it was considered to be an outstanding example of its type.