Details
TA 3008 NW CLEETHORPES GRIMSBY ROAD
(east side)
7/9 No 513 (Electricity
Board Showrooms)
II
Electricity Showrooms, now showrooms and dance studio. 1937 by Leonard
Pye, Borough Engineer and Architect, for Cleethorpes Borough Electricity
Committee. Red engineering brick with front of finely-jointed concrete
blocks. Art Deco style. U-shaped on plan: main south-west range has
large showroom with central lift to rear flanked by staircases, round
tower adjoining at southern corner, and offices and workshops in wings
flanking rear courtyard. 2 storeys with 3-storey tower. 3 bays to
main south-west front to Grimsby Road, 6 irregular bays to south-east
front facing Prince's Road. South-west front: tripartite shopfront with
central recessed entrance between single-light plate-glass windows.
Polished metal and coloured glass surround in Art Deco "Classical"
style. Central entrance bay flanked by projecting pilasters framed by
ribbed metal strips enclosing plain white panelled lower section and
black glass upper frieze section with gold lightning flash motif, with 3
narrow metal-framed bands above containing painted glass bearing flame
motifs. Recessed entrance has oak frame containing double doors with
original polished metal bar handles beneath stepped frieze and
overlight; flanking plate-glass windows in metal surround with upper
frieze of lemon yellow glass and triple flame bands; moulded panelled
soffit with original metal-framed faceted glass light, mosaic tiled
floor. Side windows have similar upper friezes with tripal Flame
bands. Sunshade awning box above with ribbed metal front. First floor
balcony with moulded coping and 3 projecting coped piers. Recessed
first floor has large recessed metal-framed windows, each of 3 lights,
with geometric glazing bars, central 2-Fold French windows and single
upper centrally-pivoted casements, and ornate leaded glass with chevron
bands, lozenge and fan motifs in green, gold and frosted glass. Upper
parapet balcony similar to that on first floor. Partly-projectng tower
to right has plain ground-floor stage, first-floor stage with incised
horizontal bands, and top stage with a pair of narrow windows with
glazing bars and diamond and chevron patterns in blue and red glass,
flanking an openwork metal clockface; flat coped top, central flagpole.
Left side of south-west front has a curved projection matching the
tower, with plain ground-floor and incised first-floor sections, and
short projecting coped parapet above. Flat roof with central projecting
lift tower. Right return, to Princes' Road: narrow recessed 3rd bay has
2-Fold 6-Fielded panel door with leaded glass overlight. 1st bay is
similar to west front, with plate-glass shopwindow in polished metal and
painted glass surround; remaining bays have 3-light leaded-glass
windows. First-floor balcony similar to main front, with segmental
bowed section with single incised band above entrance. Incised bands to
tower. Large recessed 3-light window to 1st bay similar to those on
main front. Narrower 3-light window to second bay. Recessed
half-glazed panelled door and overlight to 3rd bay. Bays to right have
wide central 3-light window similar to west front, flanked by narrower
single-light windows. First floor door, overlights and all windows have
ornate glazing similar to main front. Parapet balcony to first 2 bays,
rounded to right end, parapet with moulded coping to remainder.
Interior. Oak panelled entrance to lift bears brass plaque
inscribed:
BOROUGH OF CLEETHORPES
THESE ELECTRICITY SHOWROOMS
WERE OPENED ON THE lath MAY 1937 BY
HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR OF CLEETHORPES
ALDERMAN E HOUGHTON JPCC
COUNC. J CROFT BAKER CC
CHAIRMAN ELECTRICITY COMMITTEE
ALBERT S BARTER LEONARD PYE AMICE
TOWN CLERK BOROUGH ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT
TOWLE BROS LTD. B A LORD AIEE
BUILDERS BOROUGH ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
Open well cantilevered staircases to each side of lift shaft have
composite stone treads, curtail steps, ramped and wreathed handrails,
wrought-iron balustrade with geometric and scrolled motifs, open
box-section foot-newels with fan and rosette ornament. Wide landing
behind lift shaft has central 3-light window with stained glass sailing
ship in roundel, single side-windows with stained-glass sunburst motifs;
stepped cornice, pair of large domed rooflights with radial glazing
bars. Original metal-framed glass-panelled electric wall lights. First
floor front room (now dancing studio) has 3-bay ceiling with stepped
cornices and 3 large stepped-drum shaped electric ceiling lights. Lift .
entrance here obscured by inserted partititon. Remainder of interior
not investigated. A well-preserved example of Art Deco architecture,
and the best surviving in Humberside.
Listing NGR: TA3023208959
