Brougham Street Offices (37-43 Brougham Street)

Constructed in 1884 and 1896, these two buildings were combined to form Andre's L'Escargot restaurant in 1995.

(Note: The date - 1876 - inscribed on the facade of the building on the left in the photo relates to the establishment of the New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society. The building on the right has the date 1870 on the facade, this is the year lawyer Robert Clinton Hughes was admitted to the bar) 

The building at 41 Brougham Street was constructed in 1884 as the premises of the New Plymouth Investment and Loan Society. The architect was Henry J.T. Edmonds.

In 1896, lawyer Robert Clinton Hughes constructed new offices for his legal firm next door at 43 Brougham Street. The architect for this project was W.F. Brooking.

As the linked heritage report states, "the former office buildings at 41-43 Brougham Street make a strong contribution to New Plymouth's heritage landscape".

Registered with the NZHPT as a category II building. Read the detailed heritage report (linked) for more information. It is also available in the Taranaki Research Centre (TRCT 728.23 WAG).

Following the death of restaurateur Andre Teissonniere in June 2013, L'Escargot closed. The building was sold in October 2013.

It re-opened in 2014 as the "Mexico" restaurant. In March 2015 the "Mexico" closed and a burger restaurant, "Prohibition", opened at 41 Brougham Street. In 2017 there was a hair salon next door at 43 Brougham Street. Presently (2023) an Italian restaurant called "Area 41" occupies both halves of the building.