Introduction:
We’re back with another famous Nottingham building article! This one is a building that everybody who lives in Nottingham or has been to Nottingham City Centre will know.. (perhaps not by the official name, but you really cannot miss it!)
It’s the Prudential Assurance Building – more commonly referred to as the bar that is now running from within it.. The Alchemist.
The grand and intricate grade 2 listed building is located on King Street, overlooking the Market Square, and it has a special place in our hearts because it is only a matter of steps away from our Nottingham Central office!
Origins:
The building was designed by Alfred Waterhouse, a prolific and greatly successful architect, hailing from Lancashire. Waterhouse’s biographer, Colin Cunningham, states that between about 1865 and about 1885 he was “the most widely employed British architect”. He worked in many fields, designing commercial, public, educational and domestic buildings.
His incredible portfolio aside, he is best known for his work on the National History Museum in London and Manchester Town Hall.
Waterhouse was praised for the magnificent work he did on such a more difficult site. Set on sloping ground at the fork of King and Queen Streets only an architect of very great ability could have pulled it off.
Features:
Although Waterhouse was renowned for his Gothic style, the style used in architecting this building is Flemish Renaissance. The striking red brick and
Lavish carved decoration in Burmantofts terracotta above the entrance add beautiful detail to this magnificent building.
Originally, a shaft of light ran straight through the building from top to bottom, illuminating the ground floor office, a surprisingly modern concept.
The interior has some original features, including round stairwell with stone spiral stair and wrought-iron railing, and similar minor stair. The entrance hall has moulded glazed tile panel and 3 door surrounds. The banking hall has textured tiling and strapwork panelled ceiling with enriched dentillated cornices. 2 chamfered round arches to similarly tiled corridor. Faience tile fireplace with arcaded canopy, and clock dated 1895.
History:
The building was first used as a branch of the Prudential, a British multinational life insurance and financial services company which was founded in London in May 1848 to provide loans to professional and working people.
Other uses for the building included the occupation of Clarendon College, and of course, the iconic Hard Rock Café resided there for 5 years – with rock ‘n’ roll artifacts on display such as a guitar signed by Eric Clapton, a white sports jacket worn by Keith Richards during the Rolling Stones’ Black and Blue tour, and a stripy top signed by its former owner, REM singer Michael Stipe.
The Nottingham development was one of only five Hard Rock Cafes that were open in Britain, joining those in London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham.
Brazilian restaurant chain, Tropeiro took the building over in 2011, and served authentic Brazilian food to the people of Nottingham until 2016.
Present Day:
Which brings us to the present day, where after a £1.6 million revamp, the building was taken over by up-market cocktail bar chain, The Alchemist.
The bar owners and designers of the Alchemist, Nottingham said there was some spooky goings on during the revamp. “Since work began on the interior of the building, there have been several spooky instances of things moving, doors slamming and footprints left in wet concrete,”
But, rather than be worried, they made the most of their resident friendly ghost, who they named Annabel. “Whether it’s practical jokes or communication from ‘the other side’, we decided to have a bit of fun. Annabel is featured throughout the bar and restaurant in a variety of ways, and we hope people enjoy the somewhat tongue-in-cheek reference.”
We urge anyone walking past the building to take a proper look – there are so many brilliant details you may not have noticed when walking past in a rush!
