SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I enjoyed watching this on Thursday evening for 2 reasons:-
It took a Leeds audience to teach the politicos a thing or two about plain speaking and give them the first real grilling of this election campaign.
Politics aside, I haven’t been inside the Town hall for about 50 years so it was great to see the inside of the building again. Brought back memories of singing there in a school choir, accompanied by the organ, about 1963.

Yes it was nice to see the of that place again. When I was a lad at Mt. St. Mary's school we were taken once a month on a Thursday afternoon to listen to Symphony concerts, eminent conductors like Sir John Barbarolli and the like. Completely wasted on us Hooligans I'm afraid. Only been in there once since and it cost me two grand (another story)

I got married on that stage. Don't think you can any more. Only cost £200 to rent the whole hall for a couple of hours. Totally over the top but a fantastic setting.

Cardiarms wrote:I got married on that stage. Don't think you can any more. Only cost £200 to rent the whole hall for a couple of hours. Totally over the top but a fantastic setting.

It's possible they moved there from elsewhere but I have seen at least a couple of post wedding photoshoots on the front steps of the Town Hall in the last year or so.

Does anyone remember going into the "British Restaurant" under the Town Hall, entrance was on the side, the street leading up to the Infirmary. it was probably the first food place in Leeds where you took a tray and had your food handed out to you, then paid at the end.

j.c.d. wrote:Does anyone remember going into the "British Restaurant" under the Town Hall, entrance was on the side, the street leading up to the Infirmary. it was probably the first food place in Leeds where you took a tray and had your food handed out to you, then paid at the end.

This entrance on Calverley Street?
https://goo.gl/maps/q1HoK

j.c.d. wrote:Does anyone remember going into the "British Restaurant" under the Town Hall, entrance was on the side, the street leading up to the Infirmary. it was probably the first food place in Leeds where you took a tray and had your food handed out to you, then paid at the end.

Yes j.c.d. I can remember using the Town Hall British Restaurant at dinnertimes round about 1955/56/57. Excellent plain cooking at a very reasonable price. I believe the restaurants were set up during the war. It was always busy with Leeds office workers.

j.c.d. wrote:Does anyone remember going into the "British Restaurant" under the Town Hall, entrance was on the side, the street leading up to the Infirmary. it was probably the first food place in Leeds where you took a tray and had your food handed out to you, then paid at the end.

Hi j.c.d.

This link to a Secret Leeds thread may be of interest http://secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... 3&start=20.

I don't though recall ever using it and I don't even remember its presence.

My sister told me today that when she worked in town in the late 1940s she went each day for dinner and as her future husband was on demob leave from the Army they could meet up. she said the food was good value and just starting coming out of rationing they were glad for whatever was served up. she cant' remember which was the entrance but said it was always full of workers each lunchtime.

Went there many a time, but usually in the partitioned off waitress section. The food may well have been basic but was always delicious. As far as i remember in the 1950s a three course meal was 2/6d plus 3d for tea or coffee. The waitresses, smart in black dreeses, white aprons and headgear, were a fascinating bunch, each with a character of her own. The star turn was a large lady who was kind and efficient but stood no nonsense from anyone, staff or customers. The menus were in plastic sleeves with bound edges and the ones belonging to our Nellie Speight were clearly and boldly marked in block capitals "N SPEIGHT." Another smaller lady with rosy complexion, called I believe Violet, became one of the first brown uniformed meter maids in the City. Combined with the wholesome grub they were a grand set of lasses and it was a pleasure to eat there. The adjacent self service section employed the system of rather grotty aluminium rings to separate your courses in the hope of retaining the warmth. Slighter cheaper, although not much, I don't think it compared well at all with "Nellie's Diner."