County House on Vicar Lane.

[Leodian]

I've never been inside County House on Vicar Lane (nearly opposite the Victoria Quarter) and have hardly ever seen anyone going in. I have wondered about its history but have been unable to find anything more than a mention. I was however surprised to find that County House has residential apartments! In information I found it stated of County House "This gorgeous red brick Grade II listed building is home to 17 fully furnished one two and three bedroom apartments. These are situated on three floors".

I wonder if anyone knows any history of County House? I've tried Leodis but County House is only seen in the background in the only 2 images that I found in the Leodis search and with very little information.

[String o' beads]

No, I've never been in there either. It's listed:

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk ... or-further

'The 1910 directory indicates the following users of the
building: H Gilchrist, house furnisher; Nos 78 & 80 Gardam
Bros., clothiers; No.82: County Hotel, Leeds; No.88: Thornton
and Hodgson, tailors.'

I think Jim Windsor's Commercial Club was further along towards the market, and had a neon sign of horses racing along.

[String o' beads]

As you say, Leodis has the Eastgate side of the County Hotel:

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... ifier=7099

and a more distant pic:

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... 836_166311

[Leodian]

Thanks Geordie-exile for the links to the images of County Hotel and that of the British Listed Buildings and the information about the County Hotel. The modern frontage is still very recognisable to what it was then.

PS. I well remember the racing horses on Jim Windsor's building. Those and such as the nearby moving Babycham neon lights were always fun to see.

[DynamiteDaz]

My Dad was 'head waiter' here in the 60's but I'm struggling to find much information online about this place. Does anybody have any history additional to the above on this hotel?

[Bruno]

Hello Leo,
Bruno here! I have finally managed to reset my password and log in here after literally years of trying.
Regarding County House, the Pevsner Architectural Guide to Leeds describes this building but does not give it a name, so perhaps the name is a relatively recent addition? Pevsner describes the buildings on the Eastern Side of Vicar Lane thus:
“Grand four-storey commercial buildings of c. 1900 in a variety of materials and styles. First, Nos. 50-56, on the corner with Harewood Street and Ludgate Hill, by G.F. Bowman, with an elaborate terracotta facade restored after a fire in 1993. Paired columns flank the entrance to the former Bradford Bank. Turret with lead dome and finial flanked by dormers with stepped gables at the top. Three-light segmental-arched furniture showroom windows to first floor.
Next, Nos, 58-62, a non-matching pair of shops, offices and Temperance Hotel by W.H. Thorp. Brick, stone dressings and terracotta panels, modest Renaissance style with pediments and pinnacles on the skyline. Wray’s Buildings extend along Sidney Street. Jacobean style, its original entrance and paired round-headed windows in moulded arches with a name plaque and relief of figures with flowers. Ornate Dutch gables and four massive clustered chimneys of moulded brick.
Then Coronation Buildings, by D Dodgson, 1902, clad in red terracotta, distinctive hexagonal banded pilasters rising to plinths above the cornice.
Finally Nos. 76-88 on the corner to Eastgate by G.F. Bowman. Distinctive red brick with thin bands of buff terracotta, first-floor display-window with voussoirs and deep second-floor band; canted corner bay to Eastgate surmounted by a rather small turret and dome.”

[Leodian]

Thanks for that extract Bruno. .
Admittedly it is as recent as 1993 but the buildings are still very recognisable from their descriptions. If I get it right the "former Bradford Bank" is where the Sainsbury's Local is. I don't however recall knowing there was a Bradford Bank there nor do I recall the fire in 1993 (my memory of many events is rubbish!). The premises on at least that side of Vicar Lane are fascinating if people just took their eyes of their phones and looked up!