The Midland, Wrexham

Last updated

The Midland
North and South Wales Bank, 14 High Street, Wrexham (geograph 3755132).jpg
The building on Wrexham's High Street, as The North & South Wales Bank
The Midland, Wrexham
Former namesMidland Bank
Lloyds (No. 1 Bar)
The North & South Wales Bank
General information
Type Pub
Former bank
Architectural style Baroque palazzo
Location14 High Street, Rhosddu, Wrexham, Wales LL13 8HP
Coordinates 53°02′43″N2°59′31″W / 53.045232°N 2.991865°W / 53.045232; -2.991865
Construction started1910
Construction stopped1912
Client The North and South Wales Bank (1905–1908)
Midland Bank (1908–1999)
Wetherspoons (2001–2023)
OwnerAnsloos Leisure Ltd (2023–)
Technical details
Floor count2
Floor area8,696 square feet (807.9 m2) [1]
Design and construction
Architecture firmWoolfall and Eccles
Website
midlandwrexham.com
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameMidland Bank
Designated31 January 1994
Reference no.1842 [2]

The Midland is a pub housed in a historic former bank building in Wrexham city centre, Wales. Located at the eastern end of Wrexham's High Street, it opened in 1912 as the Midland Bank , which purchased the original client The North and South Wales Bank a few years prior to construction. The building is a Grade II listed building.

Contents

The building housed a Wetherspoons pub initially known as Lloyds, and later The North and South Wales Bank from 2001 to 2023. It re-opened as a pub in late 2023, as The Midland, recognising the building's original name and purpose.

History

The North and South Wales Bank first established its presence in the town in 1836, with its Wrexham office opening on 19 September 1836, [3] on the site of where 43 High Street now stands, in the house of Mr Griffith in the Market Place. The office later moved in 1861 to the ground floor of 29 High Street (now opposite the present-day building), then owned by the Alliance Assurance Company. [4] [5]

The Lion House hotel, on the site the current building is now situated on, to the eastern end of the High Street, [2] was bought in 1905 for The North and South Wales Bank of Liverpool from S.R. Johnson. [6] Although before the building was completed The North and South Wales Bank was purchased by the Midland Bank (now part of HSBC) in 1908. With the building opening as the "Midland Bank" instead of "The North and South Wales Bank" which was dropped. [4] [5]

Construction of the building took place between 1910 and 1912, by Woolfall and Eccles, the architects for the Midland Bank. [4] Woolfall and Eccles originally envisioned the building to be in the Gothic style, to match nearby St Giles' Church, but the designs were rejected by the London City and Midland Bank when they took over the construction as they preferred a renaissance façade which was associated with their branches. [7]

The building has a yellow sandstone façade with ashlar, polished lower storey granite columns, a slate roof, and the building was in a "baroque palazzo" style. [4] [8] [9] It has two storeys and a five window range. [2]

Pub

Wetherspoons (2001–2023)

The building operated as a bank until 1999. In 2001, it opened as a Wetherspoons pub, the second pub in the town. The pub was originally named "Lloyds", but was later renamed to "The North & South Wales Bank" in recognition of its former use. [4] On 29 July 2021, Wetherspoons announced the pub was one of the few pubs put up for sale and the only one in Wales. [10] [11] On 26 November 2021, plaster from the building's ceiling collapsed following Storm Arwen. Two people claimed to police that they were injured. Wetherspoons later claimed the two individuals were "pretending", citing CCTV footage showing no one was harmed and the two claimants later left the premises before paramedics arrived. [12] [13] It stopped operating as a pub on 15 January 2023, and was followed by the completed sale of the building on 18 January 2023. [14]

The Midland (2023–)

On 3 August 2023, it was announced the building was purchased by Sam Ansloos and Marcus Ansloos, who operate local clubs in the area. The pub underwent renovation, [15] with a "sports bar" design, and re-opened on 2 December 2023 as The Midland. This name references the original name and purpose of the building as the Midland Bank. [16] [17] [18]

A safe deposit box is still present on the exterior of the building. [5] The building is Grade II listed building. [2] [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrexham</span> City in north-east Wales

Wrexham is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the county of Denbighshire, and later the county of Clwyd in 1974, it has been the principal settlement of Wrexham County Borough since 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wetherspoons</span> British pub chain

J D Wetherspoon plc is a pub company operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company was founded in 1979 by Tim Martin and is based in Watford. It operates the sub-brand of Lloyds No.1 bars, and 56 Wetherspoon hotels. Wetherspoon is known for converting unconventional premises, such as former cinemas and banks, into pubs. The company is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Angel, Islington</span> Historic landmark in Islington, London, England

The Angel, Islington, is a historic landmark and a series of buildings that have stood on the corner of Islington High Street and Pentonville Road in Islington, London, England. The land originally belonged to the Clerkenwell Priory and has had various properties built on it since the 16th century. An inn on the site was called the "Angel Inn" by 1614, and the crossing became generally known as "the Angel". The site was bisected by the New Road, which opened in 1756, and properties on the site have been rebuilt several times up to the 20th century. The corner site gave its name to Angel tube station, opened in 1901, and the surrounding Angel area of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrexham County Borough</span> County borough in Wales

Wrexham County Borough is a county borough, with city status, in the north-east of Wales. It borders the English ceremonial counties of Cheshire and Shropshire to the east and south-east respectively, Powys to the south-west, Denbighshire to the west and Flintshire to the north-west. The city of Wrexham is the administrative centre. The county borough is part of the preserved county of Clwyd.

Sir Timothy Randall Martin is an English businessman and the founder and chairman of Wetherspoons, a pub chain in the UK and Ireland. In 2016, Martin actively campaigned for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union and was a strong supporter of Brexit, donating £200,000 to the Vote Leave campaign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bute Street, Cardiff</span> Street in Cardiff, Wales

Bute Street is a street in Cardiff, Wales. It links Cardiff Bay and Butetown with Cardiff city centre. It now has no road number. It runs from the dockside of the Mermaid Quay complex in the south, which is now a pedestrian zone, to the junction of Bute Terrace (A4160) in the north.

The city of Wrexham has two main city parks, these being Bellevue Park and Acton Park. On the outskirts of the city there is also open parkland on and surrounding the Erddig estate. There is also a city centre green and various smaller parks and open spaces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrexham city centre</span> Central district of Wrexham, north Wales

Wrexham city centre is the administrative, cultural and historic city centre of Wrexham, in North Wales and is the area enclosed by the inner ring road of the city. It is the largest shopping area in north and mid Wales, and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough. Many of its streets are pedestrianised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kings Head Hotel, Monmouth</span> Posting inn in Monmouth, Wales

The King's Head Hotel is a hotel standing opposite the Shire Hall in Glyndŵr Street, Agincourt Square, Monmouth, Wales. It dates from the mid-17th century, and as one of the major inns in Monmouth was reputedly visited by Charles I of England in 1645. It has a fine black-and-white painted stone façade and became an important posting inn in the late 17th century, with a yard through an archway where visitors' horses could be stabled and where regular coach services called. In the 18th and 19th centuries, stagecoaches for London left from the inn. The range of buildings along Agincourt Street now includes the former Monmouth Bank and the County Club, while the inn itself is now part of the J D Wetherspoon pub chain. It is one of 24 buildings on the town's Heritage Trail and is a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">155–158 North Street, Brighton</span> Grade II listed historic building in Brighton, England

The building at 155–158 North Street in Brighton, part of the English coastal city of Brighton and Hove, was built between 1921 and 1923 as a branch of National Provincial Bank. The King Louis-style bank was built on the site of several shops. The properties were acquired by the National Provincial Bank during 1916–20. The Brighton Gazette had occupied 155a North Street since 1910, when its long-time home at number 150 was converted into the Cinema de Luxe. Published by William James Towner, the paper’s full title was the Brighton Gazette, Hove Post and Sussex Telegraph. In 2011 it became J D Wetherspoon's second pub in central Brighton. One of many buildings by the prolific local architecture firm of Clayton & Black, whose work in various styles can be found across the city, it forms an important component of the range of banks, offices and commercial buildings on North Street—a significant commercial thoroughfare since the 18th century. In particular, the "good attention to detail" shown throughout the building's Louis XIV-style façade has been praised. English Heritage has listed it at Grade II for its architectural and historical importance.

The North and South Wales Bank was formed in Liverpool in 1836 and was originally located in premises in James Street, Liverpool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Golden Beam</span> Former church and school building in West Yorkshire, England

The Golden Beam is a pub and Grade II listed building located in the Headingley area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was built in c. 1912 for the Church of Christ, Scientist, and was known as the Elinor Lupton Centre from 1986 to 2010 when it was a school arts centre. It was designed by Piet de Jong and William Peel Schofield from the architectural firm Schofield and Berry. Constructed in white Portland stone in a mixed style of Egyptian Revival and Art Deco, it was originally built as a Sunday school in c. 1912–1914, extended in the 1930s with a church building and then used by the Leeds Girls' High School as a theatre and music centre from 1986 until 2010. The structure has architectural significance in the locality due to its distinct style and use of materials; many original features and fittings survive, including the entrance foyer, two staircases and a glazed lantern in the auditorium roof.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shire Hall, Haverfordwest</span> County building in Haverfordwest, Wales

The Shire Hall is a municipal structure in the High Street, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The shire hall, which was the meeting place of the old Pembrokeshire County Council, is a Grade II* listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrexham County Borough Museum</span> Museum in Wrexham, Wales

Wrexham County Borough Museum is a local history museum in Wrexham, Wrexham County Borough, Wales. It is located within County Buildings, alongside the Wrexham Archives and a proposed Football Museum for Wales. The building is located on Regent Street, in the city centre. The museum is managed by the Wrexham Heritage & Archives Service, which in turn, is operated by Wrexham County Borough Council as part of its Housing & Economy Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newbridge, Wrexham</span> Village in Wrexham County Borough, Wales

Newbridge is a village in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. The village is within the community of Cefn, to the south-east of Cefn Mawr. Newbridge is bounded to the west by the Shrewsbury–Chester railway line and the Newbridge Railway Viaduct which crosses the River Dee, which meanders to the south and east of the village. The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB since 2011 borders the village to the south, as does the Wynnstay estate, and Tŷ Mawr Country Park is on the other side of the viaduct to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tŷ Pawb</span> Art centre and gallery in Wrexham, Wales

Tŷ Pawb is a multi-purpose centre in Wrexham, Wales. It serves as a venue for arts, cultural and community events, as well as being a market and art gallery. A redevelopment of the former Wrexham People's Market between Chester Street and Market Street in Wrexham city centre, the community centre opened on 2 April 2018. It provides exhibitions, a gallery, a food court, small stage concerts and live events, as well as a market space for local traders and the relocation of Oriel Wrecsam. A multi-storey car park is located on top of Tŷ Pawb, on the building's upper floors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wynnstay Arms Hotel, Wrexham</span> Historic hotel and pub in Wrexham, Wales

The Wynnstay Arms is a hotel and pub in Wrexham city centre, Wales. It is located on Yorke Street and directly on the western end of Wrexham's High Street. The building is a Grade II listed building for its surviving Georgian red brick façade, while most of the building was demolished and rebuilt in the 1970s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horse and Jockey, Wrexham</span> Historic pub in Wrexham, Wales

The Horse & Jockey is a historic pub in Wrexham city centre, North Wales, known for its 16th century thatched roof.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saith Seren</span> Welsh-language centre in Wrexham, Wales

Saith Seren is a Welsh-language community centre and pub in Wrexham, North Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Street, Wrexham</span> Street in Wrexham, Wales

Charles Street is a street in Wrexham city centre, North Wales. It contains multiple listed buildings.

References

  1. "The North & South Bank Wales, 14 High Street, Wrexham, LL13 8HP | Property for sale | Savills". search.savills.com. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Cadw (31 January 1994). "Full Report for Listed Buildings - Midland Bank (Grade II) (1842)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  3. "The North and South Wales Bank 1836-1908, the 150th anniversary of Midland Bank's forerunners in Wales" (PDF). gla.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "High Street (North Side) - The North & South Wales Bank". buildingsofwrexham.com. 2013. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "The North and South Wales Bank Wrexham - J D Wetherspoon". www.jdwetherspoon.com. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  6. Edwards, Annette (August 2019). "Lion House, High Street, Wrexham" . Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  7. Booker, John Michael Lloyd (1984). The Architecture of Banking: A Study of the Design of British Banks from the 18th Century to Modern Times - Volume One (PDF). University of York, Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies. pp. 195, 215.
  8. 1 2 Wrexham Town Centre - Conservation Area Character Assessment and Management Plan (PDF). Wrexham County Borough Council. 2020. pp. 12, 41.
  9. "North and South Wales Bank; Midland Bank, 14-15 High Street, Wrexham (27355)". Coflein. RCAHMW . Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  10. Nuttall, Andrew (29 July 2021). "Town centre Wetherspoon branch in Wrexham put on the market". The Leader. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  11. Forgrave, Andrew (30 July 2021). "Wetherspoon puts historic North Wales pub up for sale". North Wales Live. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  12. Gregory, Andy (28 November 2021). "Wetherspoons accuses customers of faking being hit by debris in pub ceiling collapse". The Independent. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  13. "Wetherspoons claim some customers faked injuries after ceiling collapsed in Storm Arwen". ITV News . 28 November 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  14. "Wrexham High Street Wetherspoon pub serves its final pint". The Leader. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  15. "Former Wrexham Wetherspoons set to reopen under new ownership". The Leader. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  16. "Here's when Wrexham's former Wetherspoons will re-open as 'The Midland'". The Leader. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  17. "'Just what Wrexham needs' - Readers views as The Midland is officially opened". The Leader. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  18. "LOOK: Before and after pics of Wrexham's new bar The Midland". The Leader. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.