Martins bank is one of the most imposing buildings in Liverpool’s former financial district.
Situated along Castle Street and down Water Street, Liverpool was home to one of the biggest financial centres outside of London. The area is littered with characterful and striking buildings that once served as a range of banks and building societies - including one of only three branches of the Bank of England.
One of these is Martins Bank, situated on Water Street next to the Town Hall. The building was designed by Herbert James Rowse and opened as the head office of the now defunct Martins Bank in 1932. Perhaps the most significant part of the building’s history is when the majority of Britain's gold reserves was moved to the bank's vault during the Second World War.
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Martins Bank was merged with Barclays Bank in 1969 and continued to operate up until 2009. Since then the Grade II listed building has remained closed and without permanent use.
That is set to change from July this year when refurbishment works get underway to convert the seven storey building into a “hybrid mix of work, social and restaurant space.” The development is being carried out by real-estate company Kinrise, who’ve sought to craft a reputation of ‘restore over rebuild’ and a focused on design-led workspaces within historic settings.
The Martins bank development will be the developer’s biggest project to date and expected to take two years to complete. Prior to the renovation, new pictures show the grand banking hall, complete with neoclassical pillars and circular cashier counter still intact.
A decorative lobby and ornate offices have also survived in the years since the building was closed. These signature details, along with the vaults in the basement, are expected to be mostly preserved and inform the building’s refurbished design.
Once complete, the building will offer a large cluster of Grade A office space and also a range of spaces for commercial business. Kinrise is working with architects Red Deer and Brock Carmichael on the renovation which begins in July 2022, reopening in 2024.
Speaking to the ECHO last month, Sam Lawson Johnston, co-founder of Kinrise said: “Liverpool has a dire need for quality, Grade A office space. (The lack of it) has meant that the city has lost some really good businesses and it's missed out on a lot of inward investment.
“We can accommodate a social entrepreneur taking a desk by day right through to a global company taking a 20 year lease. This won’t just be a normal office building. It’ll be more culturally engaged, active and interesting. What we believe we're doing is drawing the centre of the business district back into the centre next to the town hall.”
He added: “We want the building’s renovation to be open and accessible once more so it can be enjoyed and experienced by everyone across the city. As work progresses we are delighted to share updates and insights on this iconic building that belongs to the city.”
