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With Argos moving out of their Merchants Quay premises in Newry today, 5 April, perhaps it offers the chance at long last for the present owners to restore the building to be much more sympathetic to its setting. (Argos is moving to new premises in Sainsbury's at The Quays).
Only in Newry would an old 1800's building that's facing the double jewel of the beautiful Newry Canal and the Clanrye River, have it's front facing windows and doors boarded up. And on that topic, only in Newry would the corrugated metal TK Max building with no aesthetically pleasing features whatsoever have been allowed next door!
Newry's Merchant's Quay has had an inferiority complex for many decades. The home of many of our City's outstanding buildings, previous unbelievable planning decisions have contributed majorly to the areas demise. Thankfully though things are starting to progress in the right direction with the Custom House rennovation and the stunning restoration last year of 15 Merchant's Quay, now called Commercial House.
A development on the corner of Merchant's Quay and Cornmarket also has promise in improving the look of the area, but only if planners, developers and council can overcome a car parking impasse. On the one hand we are being told to indulge more in active travel and make more use of public transport, while on the other hand we are told we need more car park spaces. And that's in a city that is overflowing with car parks!
The Argos building isn't listed but 38 and 39 Merchant's Quay dates from 1840-1859 and was formerly a warehouse in the time when the canal was still in use. The Department for Communities website explains that only the front wall survives from the original structure with everything else having been demolished and rebuilt with modern materials. The building is directly opposite a weighbridge on the Canal side of Merchant's Quay which may also have been associated with the premises.
The building is listed in an 1863 valuation as being leased by William B Glenny to Alexander Arbuthnot and John Nesbitt (no.38) and Hugh J Wallace (no 39).
What a beautiful landmark building it could be if the windows and doors were opened up and access was encouraged from the front.
Let's hope it's not another victim of a demolition team's wrecking ball. Although nowadays wrecking balls aren't used, instead there's a preference to nibble away at the structure until it's all gone. Perhaps that's a good explanation of what has been happening far too much in Newry City over the years, with our heritage slowly but surely being 'nibbled' away!
