The Happy Shop News Agents

Terraced two-bay four-storey former house over shop, built c.1820, having recent shopfront to front (north) elevation. Now in use as shop. Pitched slate roof, hipped to east, hidden behind rebuilt yellow brick parapet with granite coping, having rendered and red brick chimneystack with clay pots. Brown brick, laid in Flemish bond, to walls. Square-headed window openings having raised render reveals, masonry sills, three-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows to third floor, replacement uPVC windows to first and second floors. Recent shopfront. Square-headed door opening to side with plain overlight and glazed timber-framed door. Located to west end of Burgh Quay.

In the early nineteenth century the Wide Street Commission created a continuous street along the south side of the river fronting onto the newly built quays. The buildings on this street were built to a uniform design, and served a variety of functions, mostly associated with the port trade. As well as a residence to the upper floors, throughout the nineteenth century this building served as offices for a steam ship company, and various merchants and importers, before being adapted for retail use in the early twentieth century. Sharing a fenestration arrangement and parapet height with its neighbour to the west, this building makes a positive contribution to the streetscape. Although it has lost some of its original fabric, it retains an early form and character which serves as a reminder of the early appearance of the quayside.