Leeds First White Cloth Hall: public consulted on revamp

[mark1978]

In case anyone wasn't aware, restoration work is now underway on the First White Cloth Hall. The (old) scaffolding is off, and the builders are in. Exciting times!

[Leodian]

I have put below 3 photos that I took on May 21 2019 of work going on at the site of the First White Cloth Hall. A security metal mesh fence made it hard to take photos but I managed to take them by putting my pocket-sized simple digital camera through a thin gap then holding the camera right up against the mesh and I was then able to put a finger through the mesh to turn the camera on and press the shutter. I could not though readily frame the camera so I just hoped something reasonable came out!

PS. The third photo may seem to indicate that Kirkgate was closed to traffic but it was not as traffic still ran towards Vicar Lane on the one way Kirkgate.

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WorkAtFirstWhiteClothHallKirkgateLeedsMay212019(2)..jpg (136.57 KiB) Viewed 9840 times

WorkAtFirstWhiteClothHallKirkgateLeedsMay212019(3)..jpg (127.18 KiB) Viewed 9840 times

[Sputnik_57]

I just hope they'll actually follow suit and build something instead, and that they won't run out of money in the middle of their work and leave a pile of bricks rotting for a year, before selling it to some company that'll build cheap housing for people to install airbnb's in and bump up the rent prices...

[Leodian]

It has been hard for some while now to take any reasonable photos from on Kirkgate of the work going on but these are 2 photos that I took on November 26 2019.

ViewFromKirkgateOfTheRestorationWorkOnTheFirstWhiteClothHallLeedsNov262019(1)..jpg (131.92 KiB) Viewed 5234 times

ViewFromKirkgateOfTheRestorationWorkOnTheFirstWhiteClothHallLeedsNov262019(2)..jpg (144.35 KiB) Viewed 5234 times

[Leodian]

These are 2 photos that I took on December 3 2019 from the Crown Street car park. There are a lot of metal frames being fitted at what remains of the First White Cloth Hall, some of which seem to be supporting what would be the internal wall with the very old bricks that remains.

RestorationWorkOnTheFirstWhiteClothHallLeedsFromCrownStreetCarParkDec032019(1)..jpg (128.77 KiB) Viewed 5144 times

RestorationWorkOnTheFirstWhiteClothHallLeedsFromCrownStreetCarParkDec032019(2)..jpg (97.78 KiB) Viewed 5144 times

[snowman1]

hi leodian
thanks for the photos & up-date, its about time something was done with kirkgate.
regards
SM

[Leodian]

hi leodian
thanks for the photos & up-date, its about time something was done with kirkgate.
regards
SM

Hi snowman1 . Thanks for that.

Some businesses on the First White Cloth Hall side of Kirkgate have opened and to their credit have improved the look of Kirkgate but it is sad to still see some premises on that side that are empty and looking very neglected.
It's even more depressing to see the very long neglected large buildings in the Lady Lane and Templar's area, such as the old Lyons, British Road Services and Circle House buildings. Currently some roads in the area are closed for traffic for whatever reason. Templar Place for example is expected to reopen on Spring 2021!

[jim]

Progress on this re-creation (not enough of the original structure remains to qualify as a restoration) is well worth a look from both front and back. Very impressive, I particularly like the small vent tower and its cupola,

[Leodian]

Progress on this re-creation (not enough of the original structure remains to qualify as a restoration) is well worth a look from both front and back. Very impressive, I particularly like the small vent tower and its cupola,

Thanks to Jim for mentioning the ongoing work so when I was nearby today (Dec 15 2020) I had a look. It is difficult to take any reasonable photos from the Kirkgate side but I took these 2 photos from the rear Crown Street Car Park. The cupola that Jim mentions shows well but unfortunately only some of the other renovation work could be seen from there.

FirstWhiteClothHallDevelopmentFromCrownStCarParkLeedsDec152020(1)..jpg (136.02 KiB) Viewed 3771 times

FirstWhiteClothHallDevelopmentFromCrownStCarParkLeedsDec152020(2)..jpg (129.21 KiB) Viewed 3771 times

PS. The dome seen on the left in the second photo is that on the old bank building at the junction of Kirkgate and New York Street.

[jim]

Thanks Leodian. I was luckier than you as the access gates both front and back were wide open at the time of my viewing, and the face of the East wing was complete and clearly totally visible from Kirkgate, probably the best visual impression of how the finished article might appear.