Dixon Hotel, Tooley Street
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| Dixon Hotel | |
|---|---|
.jpg) "Quite spectacular of its date"[1] | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Location | Southwark, London |
| Coordinates | 51°30′08″N 0°04′36″W / 51.5023°N 0.0767°W |
| Built | 1904-1906 |
| Architect | John Dixon Butler |
| Architectural style(s) | Baroque Revival |
| Owner | Marriott International |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | Tower Bridge Magistrates Court and Police Station and attached railings |
| Designated | 17 September 1998 |
| Reference no. | 1385973 |
  Location of Dixon Hotel in London Borough of Southwark | |
The Dixon Hotel, in Tooley Street in the London borough of Southwark, is a former magistrates' court and police station designed by John Dixon Butler. Opened in 1906, it operated as a court until closure in 2013. Subsequently sold, it re-opened as The Dixon, in honour of the building's architect, and became a hotel operating as part of the Marriott International group. It is a Grade II listed building.
The architect John Dixon Butler (1860-1920) succeeded his father as Architect and Surveyor to the Metropolitan Police in 1895.[2][3] Apprenticed to R. Norman Shaw, Dixon Butler worked under Shaw on the designs for New Scotland Yard (south building);[4] the position being reversed at Canon Row Police Station where Butler was the lead architect and Shaw the assisting consultant.[5][6] Dixon Butler went on to design over 200 public buildings, predominantly courts and police stations, across London.[7] Historic England describes him as "one of the most accomplished Metropolitan Police architects".[3] His architectural style was predominantly Baroque Revival and he was much influenced by Shaw.[a][5]
The Dixon Hotel was designed as the Tower Bridge Police Court, latterly Tower Bridge Magistrates' Court and Police Station,[9] in 1904 and opened in 1906.[10] Built in stone and red brick laid in Flemish bond, the style is "Edwardian Baroque".[10] The London: South Pevsner describes it as "quite spectacular of its date".[1] It features doorcases with elaborate hoods, which became something of a Dixon Butler trademark.[1] From the 1970s the Police Station at Tower Bridge was one of four bases for the Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad, which specialised in responses to high-value armed robbery.[11] The court closed in 2013 and was subsequently sold,[12] re-opening as a hotel in 2019.[13][14] The hotel's Courtroom Bar is located in the original magistrates' courtroom and a chandelier in the lobby is constructed from old handcuffs.[15] The original wood panelling remains, and the judge’s bench has also been transformed into a bar, which sits beneath the judge's original oak canopy [16]
