Palace, Bristol (Gin Palace)

Three-storey hotel built 1869. It is included here for the impressive arcading with round arched, twisted, hollow brass columns. In the spandrels glass roundels with an eagle surrounded by a belt bearing the emblem 'Strength' (of what is this the emblem?). Spectacular cornice below the ceiling (the ceiling rose was added in 2008). The arcading originally ran all along the side wall i.e. presumably behind a long bar counter? In the sometime last century the room was sub-divided by the creation of a second small lounge bar to the left by the insertion of a partition wall and a mezzanine floor added for inside toilets. Whilst the lower section of the arcading still runs all along the wall into the second room, the top sections and twisted brass columns were moved at right angles and now are situated on the rear room of the main bar. Both the main room, which has a notable slope, and the smaller room have modern furnishings.

A little history: plans were approved by the Council on 8 April 1869 for the developer, Thomas Morgan whose initials appear in carved roundels. the building was probably complete in late 1870 and was leased to by one John Sharp who was a wine, spirits and porter dealer in Christmas Street until 1870. By 1871 he had moved to West Street and this new, purpose-built building. You can still detect his name in the fascia outside. Sharp remained here till 1875 but in 1876 Thomas Morgan was listed here. From 1880 to 1885 we have Blacker Bros., spirit dealers, on the site: in 1887 the Palace name appears in the directories for the first time when the occupant was Mrs Blacker.