Smithfield Market: The former Union Cold Store

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 23 May 2010

This is the Snow Hill frontage of the former Smithfield Market Cold Store, now known as the Red House. It was built between 1898 and 1899 to the designs of Reeves & Styche, architects, for the London Central Markets, and contained extensive basement cold stores. It was the first of several large scale powered cold stores that were built in London at that time. Despite its utilitarian function it obviously merited a classical architectural approach. Constructed of brick with stone dressings, this facade has one lofty entrance doorway but most of the apparent window openings are blind. At the far south-western end there is a two storey tower block. The structure was briefly, from 2005 to 2008, a Grade II Listed Building. It was awarded the status by the then Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell on the grounds that it was the earliest existing example of a purpose-built powered cold store. However the owners, the Corporation of London, have expressed a desire to redevelop the site for office buildings, and the English Heritage website page now describes the structure as delisted.

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