Wolverhampton's Locally Listed Buildings

Amar House

Broad Street


ListingA very large building with three sides facing streets. The Broad Street frontage is the most significant, consisting of three storeys. The building is accessed through two grand entrances, one in the centre of the Broad Street facade and the other around the corner on Fryer Street. The entrance to Fryer Street leads to a tiled hall and stairway which gives access to a very large hall which was once used as the Paloma Banqueting Suite but is currently (2005) used as snooker halls. The corner between Broad and Fryer Streets is articulated by an octagonal turret and spire.

The building is marked as a warehouse on the 1912 OS map. A vehicular through‑way exists towards the western end of the building between Broad and Long Streets (not accessible). The Fryer Street elevation has the remains of several large loading bays, apparently modified in size and number at some time, although now mostly bricked up.

Constructed as a major warehouse building during the first decade of the twentieth century, or earlier, in an eclectic style with Queen Anne detailing in faience and terracotta.

The building is notable for its use of terracotta, internally and externally, and has considerable townscape value, being a local landmark beside one of the gateways to the City.

Comment: This building was once the headquarters of John Shaw and Sons, manufacturers, importers and distributors of tools of all kinds. It is most likely that they built the place, probably in the 1890s, as offices, showrooms, warehouse and distribution centre. The tiled hallway and stairs are almost certainly by Burmantoft and are the best example of tiled work in the city.  The facades are restrained by the standards of the time, despite which one or two people have wondered if this might be by Waterhouse.