Appraisal

No. 34, Shelton Street (with a return-elevation to Neal Street)

Together with its return at nos. 21-23, Neal Street, no. 34, Shelton Street is listed grade II. With a five-bay elevation to Shelton Street, it is a handsome survivor from the 1830s Coombe & Co’s Wood Yard Brewery buildings.

It is four storeys high of yellow stock brick with 2-over-2 subdivided sash-windows set in flat-arched openings on the upper floors, and a console-bracketed cornice and frieze extending around each elevation above the second floor level windows. A cornice and frieze, painted gloss black, extends around each elevation above the shopfront openings at ground floor level, supported on black painted rusticated piers at the end of each elevation, at the corner, and to each side of the double-height opening at the right hand end of the Shelton Street elevation providing access into Old Brewer’s Yard.

There are orange, glazed brickwork pilasters on the Shelton Street frontage with simple, modern shopfronts, by Max Clendinning, on each elevation. The windows at first, second and third floor levels on the Shelton Street elevation have 6-over-6 subdivided sash-windows.

To the rear, Old Brewer’s Yard is an atmospheric, early-19^th century, industrial space. It contains the original Greek Doric entrance, flanked by fluted columns on the western side.

The building is of special architectural and historic interest and of considerable townscape value contributing to the character, appearance and significance of the Seven Dials Conservation Area.

It is recommended that the black paint at ground floor level be removed or overpainted in a more appropriate colour.