Burger King

Cadw's description

Location

Sited on corner with St John Street, long frontage down St John Street.

History

Formerly the Green Dragon Public House. Circa 1906. The richly appointed Mahogany Room was frequented by ship owners and leading businessmen, and it is said also that much Council business was informally transacted here. Originally only No 16 Duke Street, the building now takes in Nos 13 & 14 St John Street, with entrance in St John Street.

Exterior

Three storeys. Exterior with cement rendered cladding, fluted cornice, parapet; chimney stacks cut down; modern shop windows to ground floor. Narrow northern elevation with gable, three bays; semi-circular headed windows on second floor, taller window in centre with paterae to spandrels and with archivolt continuing down as architrave to square-headed first floor window. Symmetrical eastern elevation of eleven bays. At each end, bays project forward with a corbelled stack in centre, flanked to each side by a round-headed window on second floor and a square-headed window on first floor. The intermediate five bays are recessed; corbelled stack in middle bay; two closely spaced bays to each side with round-headed windows on second floor and square-headed windows below.
At S end, formerly separate building, 2 storeys, 2 windows, stucco, curvilinear parapet with pinnacles. Two mullion and transom windows to top floor, 2 pairs of windows to first floor, modern shopfront.

Interior

Inside modernised, but the Mahogany Room at northern end in upper floor retains its original panelling, mosaic friezes stained glass windows and etc. Many shipping deals were once discussed here. Each wall of three bays. East wall with fireplace in centre with hood above corbelled convex marble relief; panelled pilasters; flanking bays each with stained glass semi-circular headed window at lower level with firstly a mosaic panel above it and then a stained glass roundel, (one is pointed) North wall with three semi-circular headed stained glass windows surmounted firstly by a mosaic frieze and then, in each end bay by a stained glass roundel; in centre bay, a semi-circular headed window depicting St George and the Dragon. At south end of room, a gallery accessible from an upper floor. West wall also panelled. Staircase with panelled walls.

Reason for designation

Listed primarily for the magnificent interior of the Mahogany Room, amongst finest rooms of its type in Cardiff. Block to S of St John Street included for group value.