Restoration works set to begin on ‘birthplace’ of Leeds economy

Restoration works are set to begin on a historic building in Leeds along with funding support from the National Lottery and Historic England.

The First White Cloth Hall will see its west wing restored, a new covered courtyard with atrium built and a new shopfront put in place.

The restoration work is backed by £1m of public sector funding to support the private sector speculative investment being made; £500,000 will be provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s (HLF) Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) with a further £500,000 from Historic England through their Repair Grants for Heritage at Risk.

First White Cloth Hall (Leeds), a subsidiary of property developer Rushbond PLC, acquired the building in January 2017.

A design team, led by Buttress Architects, has worked with Leeds City Council, Historic England and the Leeds Civic Trust to develop the renovation scheme.

Contractors are set to move in on the site this month, with work to restore the building scheduled to be completed next year.

Mark Finch, director of Real Estate at Rushbond, said: “The story of the First White Cloth Hall is one that begs to be told – and what better way then to bring the building back into use and re-purpose it for the future.

“The project plays a pivotal role in the renaissance of Kirkgate – the area is already on the up with lots of good things going on, but this project will really elevate the interest and excitement in this historic part of the city.”

Built in 1711 to ward off competition from surrounding towns, the building played a key role in establishing Leeds in the textile trade.

The First White Cloth Hall has since been used for a number of alternative purposes but gradually fell out of use and its condition declined, with most of the building being vacant by the 1960’s and the last small part of the building to be occupied was vacated around 2010.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for regeneration, transport and planning, said: “The Heritage Lottery Funding has been a godsend in getting the regeneration of Lower Kirkgate going, with three units sympathetically renovated so far.

“But it’s the restoration of White Cloth Hall that will make the biggest change to the landscape and be the catalyst for the remaining units to be improved.”

Trevor Mitchell, Historic England, planning director for Yorkshire Historic England, added: “We’ve been campaigning for years to save this birthplace of the city’s economy and our partnership has come together just in time to rescue it from collapse. Rushbond’s plans will give it a new lease of life and another boost to Kirkgate – the oldest street in Leeds.”

David Renwick, head of Heritage Lottery Fund Yorkshire and the Humber, also said: “This project clearly demonstrates how by investing in heritage, the National Lottery can have a direct impact on the economic health of our local communities. Thanks to Lottery players, this investment in First White Cloth Hall will be a vital piece in the regeneration puzzle of Kirkgate, revitalising the area for future generations.”