Very old premises at the bottom of North Street.

[Leodian]

There is a row of old premises (opposite the car wash) at the very bottom of North Street near Sheepscar junction. They have mostly looked run down for many years now with some having occasional use for a short while. I thought they would be demolished at some stage so I was very surprised recently to see their brick work being cleaned, which would seem unlikely if they were to be demolished. There have been premises there since at least 1850 looking at the Old-Maps UK website and the current arrangement is very similar to that in 1908. I felt sure there must have been photos of them on Secret Leeds but if so I cannot find them. I have therefore posted these photos that I took on October 29 2014.

PS. The 'Private Shop' has been there for some years now, so that must be doing OK! .

[Leodian]

I had been to the site on October 16 2014 but some of the photos that I took were not that good so I went back on the 29th. On the 16th I did though take this photo holding my camera right up to a wire mesh cover over the premises that has a blue rectangular piece along its base. I did not know how the photo would come out but is does shows the inside of part of that place. I could not tell if the ornate fire place surround was metal or other material. I wonder if it is original or at least quite old?

[Leodian]

I thought I would add this map of the area that I have taken from the 1908 1:2500 map in the excellent Old-Maps UK website. It shows the row of premises were very similar to what they are now. There were premises there in an 1850 map but their arrangement was slightly different to now.

[mhoulden]

There was a planning application late last year to restore the frontages and reopen them as shops: https://publicaccess.leeds.gov.uk/onlin ... LNFJB0FZ00. It would be nice to think that having them reopen will make the area feel a bit less of a slum and possibly even generate enough interest to get the old Midland Bank building brought back into some kind of use. One to keep an eye on I think.

[Leodian]

Thanks mhoulden for that link.

I wonder what type of shop/shops is/are being considered when the renovation work is finished? Being fairly isolated it does not seem to be an area that will have many customers around (except for the 'Private Shop' crowd! ).

[j.c.d.]

Are you referring to the property on Meanwood rd. formerly Rakusons foods and earlier the Coop Shoe factory or the shops on North st. next to the od Bank ?.


Sorry, I have just noticed the earlier pictures of the shops on North St. remember them when they were bustling thriving businesses.

[buffaloskinner]

Leo this one is 1890, much the same as yours

[Leodian]

Are you referring to the property on Meanwood rd. formerly Rakusons foods and earlier the Coop Shoe factory or the shops on North st. next to the od Bank ?.

hi j.c.d.

It's the row of premises at the bottom of North Street next to the old bank. What was the bank is the Micro signed but currently not in use place at the far end of this photo that I took on October 29 2014.

[Leodian]

Cheers buffaloskinner for the 1890 map.

The general layout of the row of premises is still very similar to that in 1890 and would likely look very recognisable to anyone seeing them in 1890 who then time-travels to today!

[Leodian]

Just for being a related building I thought I would add this photo that I took on October 29 2104 of the currently not in use very old Midland Bank building at the Meanwood Road end of the row of premises. It's a shame that the clock has been stopped at 6 o'clock for a long time now!