About Robert Street
Robert Street
Photo by Maureen Brand
Graffiti on Argus Lofts publicity hoarding
Photo by Maureen Brand
A brief history
By Maureen Brand, North Laine resident
On the eastern side of Robert Street is a long row of three storey terraced houses built from the mid 1830s. In the middle is what once was the Jireh Calvinistic Baptist Chapel, which opened in 1846. It later became the Central Auction Room, then a bedding manufacturer and upholsterer and in 1998 was converted into flats.
Argus Lofts
Along the whole of the western side of the street is what was once the Argus newspaper building, known now as Argus Lofts. After the Argus moved out of the building, ownership changed hands several times. A serious fire took hold of part of the roof area in December 1999 whilst initial renovation was taking place. A 2001/02 conversion added a new frontage to the North Road end and an extension on what had been a parking area fronting onto Gloucester Road. The ground floor was converted into office/workspace and the upper floors to apartments. Prices for the new apartments in 2001 ranged from £120,000 to £385,000.
Not all Brightonians welcomed the conversion to loft apartments, as graffiti on developers' display boards showed.
This page was added on 25/02/2008.