Appraisal

Nos. 24-26, Shelton Street (with a return-elevation to Langley Street)

This austere but handsome early-19^th century London Stock brick building is a prominent survival of the former brewery complex. Originally of three, storeys, the building has been substantially extended by the addition of a double-height storey, with huge, painted steel, Crittal windows, above the original, strongly expressed, moulded-brick, classical cornice and frieze.

Four, very tall deep-set openings with segmentally arched heads and black engineering brick jambs, containing original, painted timber doors and subdivided windows, rise up from street level to high level contained within shallow, semi-circular, brick arches.

There is a three-bay return-elevation to Langley Street. A painted, steel rail extends along the elevation below the cornice and frieze hinting at the former industrial use. Well-converted to accommodate the London Film School in the 1970s, the works then maintained the strong original architectural character. The brickwork, commendably, remains uncleaned. The ‘historic’ green paintwork of the window and door joinery enhances this character.

A building of special architectural and historic interest and townscape value contributing positively to the character, appearance and significance of the Covent Garden Conservation Area.