255 Shields Road, former Co-op

This former Co-operative Store was designed by the first Surveyor for Felling UDC and built for the Felling Shore Society, in competition with the Boldon Society premises further along the road. They quickly retaliated by extending their own premises, as their older store would have had difficulty competing with the ‘department’ style of this new one, with its separate drapers, butchers and grocers. It carries echoes of the earlier one – utilising the same materials of brick, stone dressings, and slate roof, but attempts to outdo it in elaboration, with huge Venetian windows reminiscent of those on the Jackson Street store. The bold orange of the brick is brighter and a little more brash, and it is fortunate that the large, pedimented pilasters from the original shopfronts remain, despite the poor replacements for the shopfronts themselves. It is happy that the large, attractively detailed windows to the upper floors remain (?), making an impressive mark on this important street. The dialogue between the older and newer buildings is especially satisfying, as on its own this grandiose building would be admirable, but together with the other Co-op store it tells an engaging story. MATERIALS Orange brick, sandstone, timber, slate ARCHITECT Henry Miller AMICE
(Felling) DATES 1900 LOCAL LIST