Birtley, Durham Road, Co-operative Buildings

Co-operative Society H.Q., now shops and offices. 1901 to 1903 by Liddle
and Brown of Newcastle for Birtley Co-operative Society. Brick with ashlar
dressings; roof Welsh slate with stone gable copings; lead-covered ogee
roofs to towers. L-shaped plan. 2 storeys, 22 windows and 8 in left return.
Cornice to ground floor shops defined by rusticated pilasters; later boards
cover original fascia. First floor; 8 central bays, defined by Ionic pilasters,
have sill and impost bands and keystoned arches to 4 pairs of round-headed
windows with glazing bars; flanking 3-storey one-bay towers have large
round stone canopy on brackets to chamfered and rusticated office entrance;
first floor sash in architrave with projecting sill and second floor keystoned
ox-eye window under string and eaves cornice. 6 and 6 outer bays have lugged
architraves and projecting sills to double sashes, the inner 3 under gables;
eaves cornice. Peaks of gables to street and on returns contain 3 small windows
in architraves with conjoined sill between ball-finialled shafts on foliage-
decorated brackets; similar shafts to foot stones; shell-ornamented segmental
pediment at apex on brick panel with blank shield; consoles to pediment
and to gable coping. Roof has balustrade over 8 central bays. Source:
Daily Leader 21st August, 1901. LISTED GRADE 2