M & A Motorcycles

Terraced two-bay two-storey commercial premises, rebuilt c.1905, with replacement metal and glass shopfront and two-storey return to rear. Pitched roof covered with corrugated iron, behind red brick piers to parapet, supporting cast-iron foliate brattishing. Red brick chimneystacks with clay chimney pots over party wall to southwest and to return. Cast-iron down-pipe to facade. Machine-cut red brick, laid to English garden wall bond, to first floor with moulded brick cornice. Yellow brick walls to rear elevation and return. Square-headed window openings with brick voussoirs, plain reveals, granite sills and replacement aluminium windows. Steel shutter box with roller shutters to ground floor. Square-headed door opening serving first floor with replacement timber door and over-light. Forms middle section of terrace, with similar buildings abutting each side.

This building is one of a group of five structures, three in this terrace and two on the opposite side of street, with cast-iron brattishing - cast-iron balustrade - at parapet level. Nos. 173 and 174 do not feature the decorative stucco surrounds to the upper floor windows, present in the other buildings. Records suggest that they were rebuilt in the early twentieth century by architect John Charles Wilmot. Despite insertion of modern fabric and a loss of historic detailing, the overall character has been retained. The quality of the external detailing makes an important contribution to the streetscape.