Worcester Road
Worcester Road is a continuation of the High Street
running south west, after Market Place/St John Street. The west
side of Worcester Road is predominately Victorian with mainly three
storey buildings of brick construction beneath pitched tiled roofs.
There are some simple decorative details to the windows, including
some projecting first floor bay windows. Ground floors are
predominantly retail including takeaway restaurants, whilst the
upper floors are mostly used for storage or vacant.
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The 1950’s building on the corner of Worcester Road and
St John’s Street is highly visible given the prominent location
where the High Street is at its widest, and where it turns the
corner into St John’s Street. To the east side of Worcester Road is
a mix of older listed buildings, unlisted Victorian buildings
(similar to those on the west side) the ‘Lurve’ nightclub and a
Hyundai Garage. Overall the feel of Worcester Road is very much of
a secondary/tertiary commercial street, but with the potential to
be improved. There are various important views here through to the
Market Hall Site and the St John’s Church beyond. There are only a
few listed buildings in this part of the Conservation Area,
interspersed with attractive unlisted historic buildings and some
more neutral additions. |
No.7 Worcester Road is Grade II* listed and forms a notable group
with 3 and 5 Worcester Road which are Grade II listed. No.5 is now
known as Kembrey House and converted to offices. The building dates
from the late 18th century and has interesting curved
windowheads with fluted keystones and a pedimented doorpiece with
Doric columns to the ground floor.
The group of unlisted buildings at No’s 4 to 16 Worcester Road
are mostly three storeys with a variety of architectural detailing
at upper levels. Unfortunately the character of some of these
buildings has been undermined by the poor quality shopfronts below,
but they do retain sufficient architectural interest above ground
floor to be worthy of retention.
No’s 33, 35 and 37 Worcester Road are Grade II listed and date from
the 18th century.
The fine timber shopfronts date from the early 20th
century and add interest to the wider streetscene. Consent has
recently been granted to link No’s 33 and 35 into one restaurant
unit, preserving the external appearance of two individual units
whilst bringing the building back into economic use. |
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