19th-century Northern Quarter shop added to national buildings 'at risk register'

A Victorian shop building in the Northern Quarter has been added to a list which recognises buildings across the country most at risk of demolition or dereliction.

Withy Grove Stores, near the Printworks, is one of nearly 70 properties to be added to the Buildings at Risk register. Now in its 34th year, the list, from SAVE Britain's Heritage, features more than 1,400 buildings nationwide in threat.

The Northern Quarter building dates as far back as 1840 when the Richmond Safe Company, which supplied iron strongboxes and safes to ship captains docked in Liverpool, moved into the premises and was renamed as Withy Grove Stores.

Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.

The company continued to sell safes and office furniture from the Northern Quarter building under the watch of brothers John and Eli Solomon for more than 130 years until a disagreement led them to separately take ownership of the building, alongside other sites in Leeds and London.

But the building continues to remain in the Solomon family name today with Brian Solomon and Anthony Solomon, running the Withy Grove Stores on the ground floor as a commercial, industrial and residential safe shop.

SAVE says Withy Grove Stores remains the only existing Victorian industrial and commercial building on Withy Grove, which is why it has been featured in its recent At Risk listing.

A SAVE spokesperson said: “Withy Grove Stores looks largely abandoned and derelict, although the ground floor is occupied. The family business has been here since 1840.

“Fine architectural detailing mark the building out but it is the only survivor of the other Victorian industrial and commercial buildings on this street that have been