The Boar Lane-Mill Hill-Bishopgate Street area.

CathJ · Post by **CathJ** » Thu 17 Nov, 2011 12:17 am

Leodian wrote: CathJ wrote: I was trying to find the owner of the Bar Censsa/ Griffin Hotel building and went to the site that of the letting agent, it is currently under offer so might not be empty much longer.Also I was taking photographs and noticed a light on, on the 2nd floor and a light on, on the 3rd floor so the upstairs must be getting used by somebody. That's intersting Cath. I hope though that nobody is filling in the rumoured 'tunnel' underneath! Or perhaps Bar Censa is their current way out of it! Lol the "rumoured" tunnel got a giggle from a barmaid at The Duncan, and a warning that the brewery probably wouldn't allow exploration into the cellars, hence an interest in Bar Censsa. You never know maybe they have a reason for not wanted nosey parkers down there I did also ask permission to have a look in the upper floors of the Griffin Hotel too just because I'd love to see what's up there left over from when it closed as a hotel.

Post by **cnosni** » Thu 17 Nov, 2011 10:54 am

CathJ wrote: Leodian wrote: CathJ wrote: I was trying to find the owner of the Bar Censsa/ Griffin Hotel building and went to the site that of the letting agent, it is currently under offer so might not be empty much longer.Also I was taking photographs and noticed a light on, on the 2nd floor and a light on, on the 3rd floor so the upstairs must be getting used by somebody. That's intersting Cath. I hope though that nobody is filling in the rumoured 'tunnel' underneath! Or perhaps Bar Censa is their current way out of it! Lol the "rumoured" tunnel got a giggle from a barmaid at The Duncan, and a warning that the brewery probably wouldn't allow exploration into the cellars, hence an interest in Bar Censsa. You never know maybe they have a reason for not wanted nosey parkers down there I did also ask permission to have a look in the upper floors of the Griffin Hotel too just because I'd love to see what's up there left over from when it closed as a hotel. You are brave.Not on about asking permission to go upstairs at the Griffin but actually going in the Duncan .There is a lot of development on the other side of Boar Lane,with the Trinity development and now also the building that is/was the Square on the Lane.The old bus stops under BHS will form part of a new Primark fronting onto Boar Lane.Hopefully this will have an effect and the empty Multi York building/unit may be occupied.Not sure about the Griffin though,thats a tough one,but i wonder why it hasnt been converted back into a hotel in the vein of a Travelodege type,especially given its location close to the train station (BTW there is a 130 bed Premier Inn in the offing for Whitehall Riverside.However there is a plethora of new hotels in the pipleline near the new arena (3 or 4 i think) so perhaps there will be an overkill.

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Thu 17 Nov, 2011 12:47 pm

cnosni wrote: CathJ wrote: Leodian wrote: CathJ wrote: I was trying to find the owner of the Bar Censsa/ Griffin Hotel building and went to the site that of the letting agent, it is currently under offer so might not be empty much longer.Also I was taking photographs and noticed a light on, on the 2nd floor and a light on, on the 3rd floor so the upstairs must be getting used by somebody. That's intersting Cath. I hope though that nobody is filling in the rumoured 'tunnel' underneath! Or perhaps Bar Censa is their current way out of it! Lol the "rumoured" tunnel got a giggle from a barmaid at The Duncan, and a warning that the brewery probably wouldn't allow exploration into the cellars, hence an interest in Bar Censsa. You never know maybe they have a reason for not wanted nosey parkers down there I did also ask permission to have a look in the upper floors of the Griffin Hotel too just because I'd love to see what's up there left over from when it closed as a hotel. You are brave.Not on about asking permission to go upstairs at the Griffin but actually going in the Duncan .There is a lot of development on the other side of Boar Lane,with the Trinity development and now also the building that is/was the Square on the Lane.The old bus stops under BHS will form part of a new Primark fronting onto Boar Lane.Hopefully this will have an effect and the empty Multi York building/unit may be occupied.Not sure about the Griffin though,thats a tough one,but i wonder why it hasnt been converted back into a hotel in the vein of a Travelodege type,especially given its location close to the train station (BTW there is a 130 bed Premier Inn in the offing for Whitehall Riverside.However there is a plethora of new hotels in the pipleline near the new arena (3 or 4 i think) so perhaps there will be an overkill. Isn't there already an 'overkill' of hotels in Leeds as it is? I haven't been back to the fair city for 4 years now and seem to remember all the new ones not doing much business.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Thu 17 Nov, 2011 1:23 pm

I think there is a paucity of the budget hotels in and around the city centre so I suppose one on Whitehall Riverside isn't overkill. I think there is still a Travellodge on Vicar Lane behind the Grand but the nearest Premier Inn is out on Gelderd Road near the ring road and the Etap is on the peripherary of the centre. There's a fair few more upmarket ones though. Centring on the station and working away we have the Queens, The Park Plaza,The Metropole, The Hilton, Mint (use to be City Inn), The Marriot, The Crowne Plaza, The Raddison, Bewleys,The Merrion and Jurys Inn.I am aware that there was an application to build a hotel on the vacant plot at the top of Cookridge Street above Walkabout and rumour has it Downings are looking at including one in their developments around Leeds Met so if theses happen in addition to the 3 or 4 CNOSNI mentions it is perhaps overkill. Arena Acts and their crews will stay overnight in Hotles but I can't see many of the punters staying overnight.Edit. Apparently there is a Premier on West Street, not far from Whitehall riverside, and one opposite the Armouries too.

CathJ · Post by **CathJ** » Thu 17 Nov, 2011 2:27 pm

cnosni wrote: You are brave.Not on about asking permission to go upstairs at the Griffin but actually going in the Duncan . Lol, I had a friend with me and it was broad daylight.

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Thu 17 Nov, 2011 2:27 pm

tyke bhoy wrote: I think there is a paucity of the budget hotels in and around the city centre so I suppose one on Whitehall Riverside isn't overkill. I think there is still a Travellodge on Vicar Lane behind the Grand but the nearest Premier Inn is out on Gelderd Road near the ring road and the Etap is on the peripherary of the centre. There's a fair few more upmarket ones though. Centring on the station and working away we have the Queens, The Park Plaza,The Metropole, The Hilton, Mint (use to be City Inn), The Marriot, The Crowne Plaza, The Raddison, Bewleys,The Merrion and Jurys Inn.I am aware that there was an application to build a hotel on the vacant plot at the top of Cookridge Street above Walkabout and rumour has it Downings are looking at including one in their developments around Leeds Met so if theses happen in addition to the 3 or 4 CNOSNI mentions it is perhaps overkill. Arena Acts and their crews will stay overnight in Hotles but I can't see many of the punters staying overnight.Edit. Apparently there is a Premier on West Street, not far from Whitehall riverside, and one opposite the Armouries too. Isn't there a Premier Inn attached to TGI Fridays on Wellington St?

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Thu 17 Nov, 2011 2:28 pm

Yes that's the one my edit about one on West St is about.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Thu 17 Nov, 2011 9:57 pm

Has the Days Inn actually closed then? I thought the "To Let" unit was the shop next door (wasn't that a music shop many years ago?)I could be wrong, but I thought that the Days Inn was the old Griffin Hotel, just remodeled as a budget hotel and with the entrance moved to Bishopgate St (former kitchen entrance?) from Boar lane allowing them to put Bar Censa where the old reception used to be?As for the area being run down, it's a way to go yet before it reaches the state it was in during the late 80's / early 90's before the insurance company refurbished the building where MultiYork was now and put offices on the upper floors (car park entrance/exit onto Bishopgate St). The shops on the front were mainly down at heel, including the obligatory pizza / kebab / burger late night fast food shop before then.

liits · Post by **liits** » Fri 18 Nov, 2011 1:15 am

tyke bhoy wrote: I think there is a paucity of the budget hotels in and around the city centre.......... Not quite correct. Any of the Premier Travel Holiday blah blahs whatever are all inexpensive provided that you book in advance. My last trip to Leeds cost me £28 return on the train and £18 per night in the hotel [Premier Inn]. My brother, who works in the hotel industy informed me that I'd been overcharged and could have done it for less then half the price had I stayed at some place oposite the palace / parish church. It's not as expensive as you imagine it is.

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Fri 18 Nov, 2011 11:01 am

liits wrote: tyke bhoy wrote: I think there is a paucity of the budget hotels in and around the city centre.......... Not quite correct. Any of the Premier Travel Holiday blah blahs whatever are all inexpensive provided that you book in advance. My last trip to Leeds cost me £28 return on the train and £18 per night in the hotel [Premier Inn]. My brother, who works in the hotel industy informed me that I'd been overcharged and could have done it for less then half the price had I stayed at some place oposite the palace / parish church. It's not as expensive as you imagine it is. He's talking about the Etap that I mentioned on the peripherary of the city centre and another chain I would regard as a budget brand. Yes I did on further examination find two supposedly city centre Premier Inns but they are even further out than the Etap. Both close to the river, one opposite the Armouries and the other over the A58 and beyond from the YEP building. As an example I can think of at least 4 premier inns and 2 travelodges that are closer to Glasgow Central than either of the Leeds "City Centre" ones are to Leeds Station.