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1–7 Constitution Hill, Birmingham
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Building in Birmingham, England
Red Palace the Buddhist temple Potala Palace#Red Palace
January 2025
right|thumb|1–7 Constitution Hill
1–7 Constitution Hill in Birmingham, England is a Grade II listed building at the acute junction with Hampton Street, and is a former H.B. Sale factory (SP 0679 8763). The red brick and terracotta structure is extremely thin, with a tower at one end.
History
It was designed in 1895 and 1896 by William Doubleday and James R. Shaw for H. B. Sale, a die-sinker firm that 2012 on occupies premises on Summer Lane within 100 metres of the original building. The original plans were for five stories, but only four were built. A fifth storey was added in the mid-20th century before planning laws were in force to protect the integrity of original structures and as a result, the fifth floor is not of the same architectural style of the 1895 building. The tower is original, built in 1896 as a memorial to Lord Roberts of Kandahar (1832–1914) who led a successful campaign in Afghanistan in 1879 before a career in India.Birmingham The City Centre – Volume 1 Past and Present, David Harvey, 2002, 1-85895-169-0 Plans show three independent shops and offices at ground level. Each upper floor, measuring approximately 900 sqft m2, was designed as a single workshop with an office in the tower. There was an engine room and dynamo in the basement.
The present owner also purchased the adjacent buildings numbers 9-11 Constitution Hill in the early 1990s in order to provide better access to the listed main body of the property.July 2012
bottom|thumb|Red Palace from Hampton Street taken 2006
Known locally as the 'Red Palace', the building 2007 on was only occupied on the top two floors. The lower floors remained empty after the previous tenant, a Chinese restaurant trading as 'China Village', vacated in approximately 2002. The basement floor was used as the kitchens serving the main restaurant on the ground floor and function room on the first floor. The building fabric has been deteriorating for a number of years and needs a significant investment if the building is to survive long term.
The ground and first floor re-opened as a Syrian/Lebanese restaurant called 'Syriana' in April 2008.
In January 2026, the building was the scene of a major fire, requiring the attendance of over 30 firefighters.Horner Nick Leach Harry Huge tower block fire in city live - road remains shut after building blaze https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-tower-block-fire-live-33242687 16 January 2026 Birmingham Live 16 January 2026 en
References
Pevsner Architectural Guides – Birmingham, Andy Foster, 2005, 0-300-10731-5
Birmingham (City Building Series), Douglas Hickman, 1970, Studio Vista Limited
The Birmingham Jewellery Quarter – An Architectural Survey of the Manufactories, John Cattell, Sheila Ely, Barry Jones, English Heritage, 2002, 1-873592-48-5
1210235 Grade II 11 June 2006
External links
52 29 11.83 N 1 54 5.23 W type:landmark title
Category:Grade II listed buildings in Birmingham