Andy Hutchinson reflects on the history of the White Cloth Hall on Kirkgate.
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00:00 Hi, it's Andrew Hutchinson with the latest edition of Leeds Then and Today. Here I am
00:11 on Kirkgate in Leeds City Centre, outside what was one of Leeds' most historic buildings.
00:25 Founded in 1711, the White Cloth Hall is the first of four halls built over the last three
00:31 centuries for the sale of undyed cloth and one of only two halls that remain standing
00:37 to this day in the city. The hall represents the beginnings of the city's wealth through
00:42 the cloth trade. It was also built to dissuade traders from moving to another cloth hall
00:47 in Wakefield. After a variety of other uses, by the 1980s, the first White Cloth Hall was
00:53 vacant. By 2010 it was completely disused and had fallen into a state of beyond poor
00:59 disrepair. The amusement arcade in its eastern wing was still operational, but the rest of
01:04 the building was getting close to state of collapse. A series of meetings with the City
01:08 Council planning officers, the building owner Emco and English Heritage concluded that the
01:13 western and southern sections of the building had to be demolished in 2010. Thanks to years
01:18 of campaigning for its preservation and renovation, restoration works began in 2019 after Leeds
01:26 City Council granted Rush Bond Group permission to save the structure. Now, with a blend of
01:31 all the new features, the building stands strong on Kirkgate and remains an iconic part
01:37 of Leeds' history. The original oak timber trusses, which play a significant part in
01:42 the building's heritage, were salvaged in the renovation and incorporated into the roof
01:46 structure of the new build. Interestingly, analysis of tree rings at the site date back
01:56 to the 14th century, which is amazing when you consider that the White Cloth Hall was
02:00 built in the early 18th century. The restoration now includes a complete reinstatement of the
02:19 original west wing, which was lost during demolition in 2010. There's also a toplet
02:24 atrium in place of the former central courtyard and a new circulation core on the building's
02:29 southern elevation to create a visual link to Leeds' Crown Square and Corn Exchange.
02:44 This building was a nominee in the Adapted Buildings category of the 2023 Leeds Architecture
02:51 Awards and what a worthy nominee. This site is a huge part of the city's rich history
02:59 and heritage and should be protected for future generations to come.
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