Appraisal

No. 21, Tower Street

A prominent, classically-detailed, early-20^th century three-storey corner building with a mansarded attic storey above. Painted stucco elevation with two double, modern casement windows and ten single, modern casement windows at first and second floor levels Tower Street and a return elevation to Monmouth Street (no. 52), marking the southern entrance of the conservation area with an interesting decorative gable on the canted corner which forms a local landmark, and balances Terry Farrell and Partners’ building directly opposite on the corner of Monmouth Street and Shelton Street.

The cills of the first floor level windows sit uneasily on the top of the fascia below without any intermediate cornice and the arched entrance to the restaurant at ground floor level at the corner is approached up inappropriate marble steps. Modern, brick entrance to the upper floors located at the centre of the street level elevation – modern, glazed frontages to the south-east with applied lettering, externally illuminated, and retractable projecting blinds; older but altered shopfronts survive to the north-west with modern fascia and applied lettering. Early-20^th century, orange, glazed-brick piers survive at the corner of Tower Court (no. 21A). Two/three-storey, painted brick return elevation to Tower Court.

An unlisted building of townscape value contributing to the character, appearance and significance of the Seven Dials Conservation Area.

It is important that the paint colours and signs on this key building at the entrance to the conservation area should be properly designed and co-ordinated. The joinery of the casement-windows and the ground floor windows would benefit from being painted in an appropriate traditional colour rather than in white. The applied red plastic fascia lettering is inappropriate and is not well related to the fascia itself and should be replaced with applied lettering or sign written lettering of appropriate character. A well-proportioned, projecting hanging sign of appropriate character would enhance the appearance of the building and the area.