The exterior of the Merchant Hotel is presided over by a vignette of allegorical statues of Commerce, Justice, and Britannia—all bearing silent witness to fiscal transactions of yore from their lofty vantage points. Above: Gold-capped Corinthian columns, figures of cherubs, and friezes comprise an ornamented backdrop for a posh restaurant, once the main banking hall, in this remarkable hotel.
What an elegant place. 🙂