SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Has anybody else noticed the little owl ornament on one of the girders in the Merrion Centre. Just happened to look up and there's a model owl looking down in between the two main staircases in the middle. Has it always been there? Strange!

Must have been there a while, he's been on the Leeds Owl website for a while now.http://www.leedsowltrail.com/detectives/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yorksgalsu ... 7011/Taken in 2007

Just seen this snippet of info, It seems it was put there around 2002.*The Owl is secured on the rafters by the entrance to Wade House on the balcony level of the Merrion Centre. It was put there approximately 10 years ago by the centre manager at the time to scare off pigeons* Wish the centre manager could manage to put Roland Emmets Featherstone Kite flying machine back as well

As a child in the 60's, my mother told me that at night, the owls came alive and walked the streets of Leeds.No, hang on a minute.Now I think of it, that was the Town Hall Owls.~# Merrion Centre Lions !OH - YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN FOR GOODNESS SAKE.

Phill_dvsn wrote: Just seen this snippet of info, It seems it was put there around 2002.*The Owl is secured on the rafters by the entrance to Wade House on the balcony level of the Merrion Centre. It was put there approximately 10 years ago by the centre manager at the time to scare off pigeons* Wish the centre manager could manage to put Roland Emmets Featherstone Kite flying machine back as well That might get in the way of all the stalls selling tat that now fill the walkways. It's a curse of the modern shopping centre - they all do it and it's a pain in the backside for shoppers trying to navigate their way through, especially when it's busy. Yes, I already have $ky TV, no I don't need a mobile phone cover, sorry I'm a bloke therefore don't need cheap cosmetics, my nails are fine as they are thanks, as are my eyebrows....That said, I shall keep a beady eye out for the owl on my next visit.

I have the same owl in my garden i bought it years ago to scare of starlings.Did it work i can hear you all asking answer did it hell im shure they made friends with it.They came around every day to talk to it,    

[quotenick="raveydavey"It's a curse of the modern shopping centre - they all do it and it's a pain in the backside for shoppers trying to navigate their way through, especially when it's busy. Yes, I already have $ky TV, no I don't need a mobile phone cover, sorry I'm a bloke therefore don't need cheap cosmetics, my nails are fine as they are thanks, as are my eyebrows....Excellent, spot on rant ravey "Excuse me Sir, do you mind if I waste your time, make you late and/or get a parking ticket - while I get paid for it.." ?

There is another one on The Old Post Office in City Square. It is sat up there on Restaurant Bar and Grill. See if I can get a photo next time I pop out.

tilly wrote: I have the same owl in my garden i bought it years ago to scare of starlings.Did it work i can hear you all asking answer did it hell im shure they made friends with it.They came around every day to talk to it,     Pretty simple really.the owl it is meant to be is an eagle owl,a bird that has been extinct in the wild in the british isles for centuries.The birds it is supposed to scare dont know what it is,so they see no danger and they just carry on.