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Leeds Town Hall, The Headrow, Leeds LS1 3AD. 2024: currently closed for refurbishment

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Brief description

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leeds_Town_Hall

"Leeds Town Hall is a 19th-century municipal building on The Headrow (formerly Park Lane), Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Planned to include law courts, a council chamber, offices, a public hall, and a suite of ceremonial rooms, it was built between 1853 and 1858 to a design by the architect Cuthbert Brodrick. With the building of the Civic Hall in 1933, some of these functions were relocated, and after the construction of the Leeds Combined Court Centre in 1993, the Town Hall now serves mainly as a concert, conference and wedding venue, its offices still used by some council departments. It was designated a Grade I listed building in 1951.

Imagined as a municipal palace to demonstrate the power and success of Victorian Leeds, and opened by Queen Victoria in a lavish ceremony in 1858, it is one of the largest town halls in the United Kingdom. With a height of 225 feet (68.6 m) it was the tallest building in Leeds for 108 years from 1858 until 1966, when it lost the title to the Park Plaza Hotel, which stands 26 feet (8 m) taller at 253 feet (77 m). The distinctive baroque clock tower, which serves as a landmark and a symbol of Leeds, was not part of the initial design but was added by Brodrick in 1856 as the civic leaders sought to make an even grander statement.

The project to build the Town Hall came about as Leeds underwent rapid growth and industrialisation during the 19th century, helped by a desire to compete with Bradford and symbolise Leeds's dominance within the region. Proceedings began in July 1850, carried through by a dedicated committee of the Town Council, which held a competition selecting the relatively unknown Brodrick to prepare a design, with construction underway by July 1853. The building cost much more than the original estimates due to rising prices and constant additions to its design throughout construction.

The form of Leeds Town Hall has been used as a model for civic buildings across Britain and the British Empire, being one of the largest and earliest. As a key heritage asset for the city, its history as a court and prison is demonstrated in guided tours for the public. Several recurring cultural events use the Town Hall as a performance space, such as the Leeds International Piano Competition.

A major refurbishment project of the whole building commenced in 2019, funded by Leeds City Council's capital fund, with a public campaign funding some interior renovation costs. The three-year works will provide new seating and soundproofing, new bars and public event spaces in previously blocked-off rooms, comprehensive interior redecoration, modifications to two chandeliers to use dimmable LEDS, relocation of the box office to the ground level. The Scottish firm Page\Park Architects is responsible for all scheme designs.[77] Works are also taking place to the clock tower and roof, including replacement of all tiles with Welsh slate; the roof project is being designed and managed by NPS Group.[78] As part of the roof works, contractors discovered on the 225 ft (69 m) dome a plaque dated 1861 placed by the last men to work on it. The plaque reads: "This dome was stripped and old lead put on after by Herbert Westcombe and Joseph Nett".[79] The building is scheduled to reopen in 2022 in time for the Leeds 2023 city-wide cultural festival.[77]

The closure of Leeds Town Hall in November 2021 for refurbishment and conservation work provided an opportunity for extensive work on the Leeds Town Hall organ. The familiar casework and some of the pipes are being retained and repaired but all of the organ's mechanism, console and about a third of its 6,500 pipes are being made new.[80]

Despite its original purpose as the seat of local government in Leeds being taken over by subsequent council buildings, the Town Hall retains an active role in the civic and cultural life of the city. Conferences, weddings, and civil partnerships take place in the Albert Room and the Brodrick Suite, which have been converted from the former courtroom and Council Chamber and are home to a register office.[82] The opulent Victoria Hall is a venue for many performances – its 6,600-pipe organ is still the largest three-manual example in Europe – regular lunchtime organ recitals are given by City Organist Simon Lindley and others,[8][83] while a full programme of music, comedy, and exhibitions uses this main space year-round.[8] Several recurring cultural events use the Town Hall such as Leeds International Concert Season, the triennial Leeds International Piano Competition,[84] and the Leeds International Film Festival.[85] Other events include Leeds International Beer Festival, a four-day annual festival celebrating and promoting craft beer.[86]

The Town Hall is as a landmark and heritage asset; guided tours of the building, visiting areas not usually open to the public, are occasionally given. Remaining historic features include the old borough courtroom, which has wooden benches and stairs leading down from the dock into the basement – now a storage area but was originally the bridewell (prison cells), located under the front steps.[83] Also accessible only on the tours is the clock tower, entered via 203 spiral steps and which houses the original Potts & Sons quarter-chiming, four faced clock.[8]

Leeds Town Hall has been used as a location for several films and television programmes, supported by Screen Yorkshire. It was used in the opening scenes of the 2016 film Dad's Army[87] while The New Statesman,[8] Peaky Blinders, Residue, National Treasure, and The ABC Murders TV series are among productions which have used interior and exterior shots.[88]"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy78nd6e83ko

Address

Leeds Town Hall, The Headrow, Leeds LS1 3AD

Email

tickets@leeds.gov.uk

Phone

0113 376 0318 Leeds Ticket Hub telephone opening hours are Monday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm. Leeds Ticket Hub is open for in person bookings from two hours before any show at the Carriageworks Theatre.

Arts Planning

Phone: 0113 378 6600
Email: music@leeds.gov.uk