The Royal Hotel

[BIG N]

Sorry to appear a little thick here but - are you guys saying that the Royal hotel was demolished and a replacement building then had a copycat facade added in fibreglass to resemble the original building ?If so, then why ? Was it the only way the developers could gain permission to demolish in the first place and if thats the reason then why did the powers that be not insist on the frontage either being kept or re-built as it was.Perhaps the building was demolished without permission and the council insisted on a replacement frontage to the new building.It just seems an unusual step to take in my opinion.

[electricaldave]

If you do a search on Leodis you will find a view of the rear of the Royal Hotel, and that pretty much explains why it was demolished. http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... AY=FULLThe cost of renovating and stabilising the building would not have been economic at the time, however, given that this was such a historic building one could argue that normal economic didn't apply, either way, this sort of thing always comes down to money, and who can make the most out of it before the public outcry.IIRC there was a lot of building work going on at the time, with the St Johns Centre at one end - an eyesore if there ever was one, to the McDonalds at the corner of Briggate/Boar lane which was built as a reproduction ot a building that stood before the previous building on the site (if that makes sens at all to you). I can't remeber what else was going on at the time, but to be honest the demolishing of the Royal and its rebuilding went almost unnoticed because of all these changes.

[sundowner]

BLAKEY wrote: sundowner wrote: RichT wrote: Thanks guys for the replies.I too remember Watson-Cairns, & its wonderful atmosphere.I never bought a bike from there, but later buught a couple from its 'replacement' (I mean that as a 'city centre' shop) around the corner on Call Lane; 'Two Wheels Good' Which later transmuted into 'Freewheel' on the corner of Lower-Briggate/Duncan Street Watson-Cairns opened a new shop on the other side of the road from the Lloyds Arms near the bus station if my memory serves me right.Icant remember when it closed down but i have bought motor bike parts from there in the past. Sundowner I THINK that was Walter Wraggs wasn't it ?? - not Watson Cairns ?? You are right BLAKEY sorry about that its the brain cells you know.

[BLAKEY]

Join the club Sundowner - the grey matter is in a similar state at Headingley