Banks Building, Belfast

The Banks building lies at the heart of Belfast City Centre within an area identified as “The Belfast Cross” which is considered the heart of the Shopping Quarter. The building was constructed in 1787 and is placed as Grade B on the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. The main structure of the Banks building is comprised of a cast iron structural system clad in red Drumfries sandstone.  A Gablet roof (or Dutch gable roof) has been provided to the front bay with the remainder of the building provided with flat roofs.

In 1853, the store was to become home to a wholesale drapery firm. Founded by businessmen William Robertson and Henry Hawkins (Waterford), J. C. Ledlie (Cork), and Robert Ferguson (Belfast), the business soon expanded and became a commercial department store. In 1900 the ground and first floors of the building underwent a major redesign. The architect W. H. Lynn allowed for large plate glass windows to be installed in the lower floors. The department store continued to operate on the first two floors whilst the upper floors were used as a warehouse for the wholesale side of the business.

The building remained under the ownership of Robertson, Ledlie, Ferguson & Company until they were bought out by the House of Fraser group. The department store still continued to operate from Bank Buildings until Boots took over from House of Fraser. Boots was then forced to move out in 1975. On April 9, three bombs were detonated inside Bank Buildings. The resulting fire extensively damaged the building. Refurbishments were carried out in 1979 and after 18 months the new owners, Primark Stores Limited established a store.

Primark appointed Consurv to carry out the Building Defects Analysis Survey and Report on Banks Building Belfast. The survey and report identified any possible defects that were present within the structure and to ascertain the methods of cleaning for the front façade to remove the algae and lichen that was present.