Rainbow and Hobbs Building (Former)

124-126 Queen Street East, HASTINGS

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The former Rainbow and Hobbs Building, a two storey Edwardian building, is a rare survivor of the 1931 Hawkes Bay earthquake, and a building with a long commercial history. The plans for the Rainbow and Hobbs Building were prepared in January 1914 and the building was constructed - probably later that year - by Hay and Sons. It is not known who the owner was at the time of construction, nor the architect. The property was acquired in 1920 by Algernon Rainbow, who also used it as his business premises. In 1923 he went into business with William Hobbs. Rainbow and Hobbs would go on to occupy the building for many decades, while Rainbow later became mayor of Hastings. Rainbow purchased a parcel of land to the immediate east in 1935 and some time after that extended the building, adding another third to its size. In April 1936 he sold both properties and the building to Queen Street Properties (Hastings) Ltd. From 1985 onwards, ownership of the property changed hands a number of times. The present owners are the Scannell family trust (SS Trust), and the building is occupied by Credit House Finance. The former Rainbow and Hobbs Building can be described as Edwardian Baroque, a small but well executed example of the style, which made free and inventive use of Classical elements; this building does so with the wide curved window openings, keystones, circular windows and other elements, to create a building with a high level of visual interest. That the early part survived the Hawkes Bay earthquake intact, and that a matching addition was made 20 years after construction, adds to its technical and architectural interest, as well as its historical significance. The former Rainbow and Hobbs Building's heritage value is derived from its long and continuous commercial history, its specific association with Algernon Rainbow, a significant figure in Hastings' history, and its distinctive and interesting Edwardian façade, which is a key element in the Queen Street East streetscape.

Rainbow and Hobbs Building (Former), Hastings. Image courtesy of www.flickr.com | Phil Clark | 07/01/2021 | phil1066photography.com
Rainbow and Hobbs Building (Former), Hastings | J Horwell | 27/07/2020 | Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga

Location

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List Entry Information

Overview

Detailed List Entry

Status

Listed

List Entry Status

Historic Place Category 2

Access

Private/No Public Access

List Number

2788

Date Entered

6th June 2008

Date of Effect

6th June 2008

City/District Council

Hastings District

Region

Hawke's Bay Region

Extent of List Entry

The registration includes all of the land in RTs HBA4/832 and HB93/223 (as shown on the 'Extent of Registration' map in Appendix 2) and the building and its fittings and fixtures thereon.

Legal description

Lots 1 - 2 DP 3755 (RT HBA4/832); Lots 1 - 2 DP 4721 (RT HB93/223), Hawkes Bay Land District.

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