Lotus Factory

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

The Lotus site occupies a prominent position on the E side of what was formerly the main Belfast-Dublin road. The office block and a small section of the factory floor are the only sections of the original complex to survive, along with a later detached gatehouse and free-standing chimney at NW.

1. Offices

The two-storey office block is aligned E-W along the S side of the site. Its E and W sections are slightly higher than the middle one, but all three have flat concrete roofs behind low concrete-coped blocking courses. The walls are of red brick throughout.
The raised section at the W end of the block incorporates the principal entrance to the building, a flight of four granite steps leading up to the three-panel rotating entrance door. This doorway has chamfered concrete jambs, a semicircular concrete canopy over, and is flanked by small wall lights. The door jambs continue up to form the jambs of a window opening at FF level. This opening contains a canted 3x7-paned window set back slightly and with a deep concrete apron and head, and small rectangular canopy over. A vertical flag pole rises from the roof above. On the left (N) cheek of this section is a 3x8-paned window which illuminates the main stairwell.

The S elevation of the building is characterised by two continuous rows of metal windows - 3x3 and 3x4-paned to the GF and FF respectively - set between structural reinforced-concrete uprights. All have brick-clad metal heads and share a common concrete cill. The first floor steps back at the W end of this elevation to form a balcony accessed via four sets of double-leaf 4-paned French windows from inside the building. At the W end of the ground floor is a projecting three-quarter attached circular bay also characterised by a continuous row of fenestration, in this case 15no 1x3-paned metal windows with common concrete head and cill. Its flat concrete roof forms a continuation of the FF balcony along which runs a 5-bar metal balustrade. This projecting bay is surrounded by a raised flower bed behind a concrete-coped retaining wall. Towards the E (right) end of the S façade is a set of three 1x3-paned windows to each floor, both with common concrete heads and cills. The end section at E is set back slightly from the façade and is slightly higher to accommodate an internal water tank and lift motor. It contains a 1x5-paned timber back entrance door with 1x5-paned sidelights under a concrete head and protected by a flat felted canopy. Above it is a 3x8-paned metal window with concrete head and cill which lights the back stairwell, FF landing, and service room above. A narrow strip of grass runs the full length of this elevation, beyond which is a tarmacadam car park.

The E gable was formerly abutted by a two-storey continuation of the factory, added in the 1960s. This has been removed and the wall rendered over. GF and FF doorways into the former extension have been infilled and rendered over, but are still evident externally.

The N elevation was formerly abutted by the main factory floor but the latter was demolished and the wall thus exposed rendered over. Some original openings were infilled and others modified during this process and now there are five sets of 3x3-paned double-glazed uPVC windows along the GF (between pilastered structural columns), and four sets of narrow 3x3 paned uPVC windows to the FF. There are also two windows to the service room at the E end of this elevation.

Roof: Concrete
Rainwater goods: Steel
Walls: Brick
Windows: Metal / uPVC

2. Factory floor

The single-storey factory floor ran along, and beyond, the north wall of the office block but has been demolished apart from its W wall and a small section of its roof truss behind. The W wall comprises a reinforced-concrete frame faced with brick. There are eight contiguous horizontal window panels along it, all of which share a common concrete head and cill. The 3x5-paned metal windows (with 1x2-paned central openings) are now only visible from the inside, having been sheeted over and photographs pasted on to the panels. At the top left-hand corner of the façade is an electric clock, the hour indicators and hour/minute hands of which are mounted directly on the brickwork. The left (N) end of the façade returns as a two-storey flat-roof brick building, only the W end of which now survives. Abutting the left end of the façade is a single-storey loading bay, added I n the mid-1960s. It is slightly lower than the rest of the facade and projects slightly therefrom. A low concrete-coped blocking course hides its flat concrete roof, which oversails at N and E. The walls are of textured brick. There are metal roller shutter doors on its N and E elevations, and a 2x4-paned metal window on the latter. At the NW corner of this extension is a three-quarters attached circular granite gate pier with a vertical strip light embedded therein. This is an original feature which was relocated to its present position when the extension was built. The corresponding pier on the opposite side has disappeared, along with the gates.
This entire façade is fronted by a raised strip of grass retained behind a low brick wall.

As noted above, the entire factory floor has been demolished except for the bay immediately behind its W façade. The roof of this bay comprises a triangulate glazed steel truss running N-S across the entire floor without the need for intermediate supporting columns.

3. Gatehouse

A small single-storey, single-bay gatehouse adjacent to the goods entrance to the factory from the main road. Probably erected in mid-1960s. Flat concrete roof with 4-bar metal balustrade around its edge. Walls of brick, curved to principal (W) elevation. Continuous fenestration to frontage, comprising 8no top-opening 1x3-paned metal panels, with common concrete head and cill. Plain sheeted timber door to S elevation with rectangular overlight. Small window on rear (E) elevation.

Roof: Concrete
Rainwater goods: Steel
Walls: Brick
Windows: Metal

4. Chimney

A free-standing two-stage chimney of mid-1960s date, being a replacement of the original. Of cylindrical profile and standing to full height, with a projecting circular concrete crown. Of concrete construction, with an outer skin of brick. The bottom stage contains three openings for flues (now removed) and cleaning out purposes. A lightning conductor runs down its side.

5. Boundary wall and entrances

The site is bounded by a brick wall surmounted by a painted metal vertical railing. The goods entrance is at NW and the office entrance at SW. Both entrances have concrete-capped square brick gate piers with replacement gates.

Historical information

Paul Larmour states that this factory, at Yellow Hill on the southern outskirts of Banbridge, dates from 1947-49 and was designed by architects W.D.R. & R.T. Taggart. However, a Belfast Telegraph article of September 1950 notes that the finishing touches were still being made by the Ministry of Commerce, it being an ‘advance factory’ built by the Government. It also noted that the 20,000 square feet premises were shortly to be occupied by Down Shoes Ltd and that the factory roof was designed so as not to impede the floor with columns. Ministry of Commerce files indicate that the 33,100sq.ft. factory was completed in December of that year, at a cost of around £96.000.

Down Shoes was incorporated in 1947 as the N. Ireland subsidiary of Lotus Ltd, a long-established firm of English shoe makers based in Stafford and Northampton. They had begun operations in N. Ireland in January 1947 at a former brewery in Castlewellan St, Banbridge and had been so successful that a larger factory was required.
The firm probably relocated to the new factory at Yellow Hill in early 1951 (curiously, this event is not recorded in the Banbridge Chronicle for that period, nor commemorated by a plaque).

A contemporary model of the factory premises (now in the foyer) by renowned model makers Bassett-Lowke Ltd of Northampton shows a two-storey Modernist office block with abutting single-storey sawtooth-roof factory, and a separate boiler room and chimney. Over the next 16 years, the factory was extended at least three times under the auspices of the Ministry of Commerce. The first extension was completed in November 1958 and increased its floor area by 31,000sq.ft – almost double what it was originally. An 8000sq.ft extension was finished in January 1965. The third extension of 22,300sq.ft. was completed in March 1968 at a cost of almost £160,000. By now, the original factory floor had been extended eastwards, a two-storey extension added to its southern elevation, and a new boiler house and taller freestanding chimney erected at the back (the replacement chimney is reported to be 160ft high and built by Christie Brown). All these extensions are encompassed in the 1971 OS map.

The factory was visited by Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon on 25 May 1967, an event reported at length by the Banbridge Chronicle. The royal couple were accompanied by Lord Erskine, Governor of N. Ireland and shown around by Mr James Bostock, Chairman of the Lotus Group, and by Mr K.J. Kucek, Managing Director of Down Shoes (and a Czech émigré).

In 1968, Down Shoes also acquired another Government advance factory on Scarva Road, Banbridge, and commenced the production of men’s footwear.

By 1970, Down Shoes had become one of the largest shoe manufacturers in the British Isles, with a workforce of over 1000 people and a weekly output of some 40,000 pairs of ladies’ and men’s shoes, sandals and slippers.
Down Shoes was taken over by the Argo Caribbean Group in 1972. The following year it became a subsidiary of Debenhams PLC, part of the Burton Group.

The Scarva Road factory was vacated in 1982 or ’83, after which Winner Shoes Ltd took over.
In 1986, the Yellow Hill factory was purchased by the Fii Group, one of Britain’s largest shoe producers under the Lotus (ladies’ shoes), Frank Wright (men’s) and Fii labels.

Faced with increasing foreign competition, the factory closed in March 2003.

In 2009, Lotus Homes, part of the Murdock Group, obtained planning permission for a £30 million redevelopment of the site for houses and apartments. As part of this scheme, most of the original factory floor and all the extensions were demolished in 2009, leaving only the original office block, western façade of the actual factory, and 1960s’ gate house and chimney.
In 2010-11, the former office block was refurbished as offices for Lotus Homes. The west end of the former factory floor area is to be redeveloped as apartments and the surrounding area for houses. The gate house and chimney are to be retained as part of this scheme.

References – Primary sources:
1. Staffordshire Record Office, Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service; on-line catalogue,
, accessed 29/11/2011.
2. Model in factory foyer by Bassett-Lowke Ltd, Northampton.
3. PRONI OS/11/220/12/1. First edition OS IG 1:2500, sheet 220-12 (1971).
4. PRONI COM/107/1/5. Ministry of Commerce records of factory construction, 1947-76.
5. PRONI COM/107/1/12. Ministry of Commerce records of factory construction, 1976-79.

References – Secondary sources:
1. P. Larmour. ‘Modern Movement architecture in Ulster, 1900-1950’, in D. Evans, M. Hackett, A. Hall, P. Larmour & C. Rattray
(eds) Modern Ulster Architecture, p.17 (Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 2006).
2. Belfast Telegraph, 4 Sept 1950, p.6.
3. Banbridge Chronicle, 11 March 1966.
4. Banbridge Chronicle, 20 Jan 1967.
5. Banbridge Chronicle, 26 May 1967.
6. Banbridge Chronicle, 2 June 1967.
7. Banbridge Chronicle, 3 Nov 1967.
8. Mourne Observer, 12 Jan 1968.
9. Mourne Observer, 5 June 1970.
10. Banbridge Chronicle, 3 March 1983.
11. Dromore Leader, 23 March 1994.
12. Belfast Telegraph, 19 March 2003.
13. Belfast Telegraph, 17 Nov 2009.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building
I. Quality and survival of Interior

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A two-storey brick and concrete shoe factory office block built in Modern style by the Ministry of Commerce in 1950, with mid-1960s gatehouse and chimney. The office block is a good example of the post-WW2 Modern style, characterised by clean horizontal lines, absence of detailing and projecting circular bays. Its reinforced-concrete framing is disguised by brick cladding throughout.
The main factory floor and extensions have been demolished, but the surviving mid-1960s gatehouse, also in Modern style, and tall cylindrical brick-clad chimney both add interest to the factory site. The complex is also of interest, having been one of the largest employers in the area for over 50 years and, for a time, one of the largest shoe producers in the UK.