This building is in between the Royal Albion Hotel and the Royal York Buildings, not far from the seafront near the Palace Pier. I think this used to be a Jaguar car showroom because I think that little cat up there is supposed to be a jaguar, although some people think it looks like a kitten.
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Actually I read somewhere that the cat was the trade mark of the architect.
Yes, Mike is right – this was a car showroom. I used to be in awe of it as a child, wondering how they got the cars inside! And I’ve always loved the cat.
The car showroom was ‘Moores’ and the cars were raised to the first floor by means of a lift. Moores later moved to the Western Road end of the Arcade.
My father, a retired architect, with his team/group was responsible for the re-design of the building. My dad ensured that the cat was included in all of his drawings of the exterior to help ensure the cat was preserved during the conversion. There used to be a mouse too apparently, being chased by the cat, but that was long gone by the time the building was converted to offices. Always look at the cat as I pass with a great deal of fondness.
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