Historic city arcade gets a £500,000 facelift

The Grand Arcade, a Grade II-listed Victorian shopping arcade on New Briggate, Leeds, has undergone a £500,000 refurbishment.

The refurbishment of the Grand Arcade – owned by ATC Properties – which is designed in the Renaissance style with Art Noveau decorative details, includes the laying of a Yorkshire Stone floor, from Rand & Asquith Yorkshire Stone Quarry, throughout.

Seventeen handmade brass period lanterns have been hung from the roof trusses, and the arcade has been painted throughout with a new colour scheme and period signage, from Leeds based West Riding Engravers.

In addition, many of the businesses within the arcade, including Lords Barbers with its Domini Club below stairs, and West Yorkshire Cameras, have taken the opportunity to refurbish their own units in readiness for the lockdown being completely lifted.

The rejuvenated Grand Arcade has attracted interest from independents with Olivia-Fayne, a tattoo artist, having now taken space trading as anthologie tattoo studio.

She said: “It’s an honour to be in the Grand Arcade. It is a beautiful building, and its recent makeover has really brought out the features it possessed.

“To be central and have a unique studio, which is easy to find for traveling clients, is exactly what I have worked towards for the past seven years.

“This part of Leeds has always been vibrant and, as there is such a variety of outlets, attracts a wide cross-section of people.”

The refurbishment coincides with a planned £2.5m facelift for New Briggate, as part of Historic England’s High Street Heritage Action Zones programme, and the multi-million pound development of Opera North’s Howard Opera Centre, next to the Grand Theatre.

Tim Watts, of ATC, said: “The arcade is home to many local independents, and we believe the works we have made to the arcade has brought it to another level in terms of quality and feel.

“For too long we have been the lesser known of the Leeds arcades, but I believe our refurbishment and the money being spent on New Briggate & Vicar Lane as a whole will only raise the area’s profile for independents making it a destination of choice for shoppers and diners.”

Maddy Wright, of Fox Lloyd Jones, added: “It is an extremely exciting time to be in this part of town with the welcome investment in New Briggate and Opera North’s state-of-the-art new centre.

“Both will breathe new life into the area and, together with the new look Grand Arcade, create a fantastic destination with exciting and vibrant hospitality, independent shops, entertainment, and culture.

“This is further reinforced by the fact that the Grand Arcade is now fully occupied.”