Grand Theatre Restoration

[Leeds No.1]

For the City Varieties actually. But in the planning applications today:

08/01119/LI/C Leeds Grand Theatre
and Opera House Ltd

Listed Building application for the
refurbishment of the City Varieties
Music Hall, including a new lift shaft
and modification to windows and
doors
Grid Ref: 430209433721
City Varieties Music
Hall
Swan Street
Leeds
LS1 6LW
Jacobs
1 City Walk
Leeds
LS11 9DX
City and Hunslet
27/02/08

[aviator]

I'm not sure if this activity relates to the Grand Theatre's restoration but New Briggate's been closed off and will remain so for two days.

The scene this morning:

[aviator]

Originally Posted by aviator

I'm not sure if this activity relates to the Grand Theatre's restoration but New Briggate's been closed off and will remain so for two days.

My mistake. This was to enable the reomval of one of the cranes at the Allders site.

[Bulldozer]

It was a very large crane. look like about 500 ton capacity
Looks almost brand new as well !
Any photos of it fully erected Aviator ?

[tomd89]

[Bulldozer]

Tom

Little bit of fly jib then to reach the crane, so thats why it was a large crane

[aviator]

Originally Posted by Leeds No.1

For the City Varieties actually. But in the planning applications today:

08/01119/LI/C Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Ltd

Listed Building application for the refurbishment of the City Varieties Music Hall, including a new lift shaft and modification to windows and doors

Grid Ref: 430209433721

City Varieties Music Hall
Swan Street
Leeds
LS1 6LW

There's more news in today's YEP:


£9m City Varieties blueprint revealed


A detailed blueprint has been drawn up for the renovation of Leeds's City Varieties theatre. The plans, which have been submitted for debate, include proposals for restoring the auditorium, improving stage and backstage facilities and adding extra toilets.

The often-crowded foyer is to be made bigger, while a lift is also to be installed. The scheme has been valued at £9.2m, with Leeds City Council finding £5.2m.

A further £3m looks set to be donated by the Heritage Lottery Fund, while £1m is on the table from Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Limited, subject to a local and national fundraising campaign.

More than 5,000 people signed a YEP campaign petition launched to secure lottery funding to help restore the Varieties, famous as the home of BBC TV's The Good Old Days, broadcast around the world for 30 years from 1953.
Coun John Procter, chairman of the Leeds Grand Theatre Board said: "The City Varieties plays an important part in Leeds's cultural history and it is an equally important part in our future. These plans take us a step closer in our quest to bring this jewel in the city's crown back to its former glory."

Work would be due to be complete by summer 2010. Council chiefs hope to use the refurbished building to teach people about Leeds's artistic history.

Anyone wanting to see the plans or the conservation report should visit the development enquiry centre, in the Leonardo Building, 2 Rossington Street, Leeds, LS2 8HD.

[LeedsLad]

Originally Posted by Bulldozer

Any photos of it fully erected Aviator ?

[Skychaser 2005]

If you work out how much has recently been spent or is about to be spent on the theatres of Leeds, I estimate it must be in the region of: £50 m (Grand restoration, City Varieties, Carriageworks Theatre, Northern Ballet development). Not a bad investment in our city's culture.

[dkeeno1]

This project is now hugely behind schedule! The Grand Hall was meant to be back in operation in September this year, but will now not be back in operation till February. This delay is due to a problem when removing the old projection box, it was thought that this had just been slotted on and didnt effect the structure of the building, however once removed they found this was completely wrong and had to repair the roof before it all collapsed.
On the plus side negotiations are taking place with a restaurant operator to take the units fronting onto new briggate, this would be fantastic for pre or post show drinks, especially post show as the bars in the theatre shut after the interval. Think ive mentioned the main bits of info there.

Danny

[LeedsLad]

Shame the rest of the road doesn't make a great impression!

[di Livio]

Originally Posted by LeedsLad

Shame the rest of the road doesn't make a great impression!

I was just thinking that. I wouldn't care if they demolished the red-brick section of New Briggate tomorrow, it's a vile-looking street.

[tomd89]

It's not the buildings that bring the area down, its the cheap take-aways that do. Get rid of those and you have a pretty attractive street. Hopefully the new Grand will improve the area and eventually get some nice attractive shops moving in.

[Leeds No.1]

I'm pretty sure it'll change when Eastgate opens; similar to how Briggate/Vicar Lane changed as a result of the opening of the VQ.

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by di Livio

I was just thinking that. I wouldn't care if they demolished the red-brick section of New Briggate tomorrow, it's a vile-looking street.

It's not often that I disagree with you Di Livio but I'm totally with Tom. The buildings are very pleasant indeed, they just need a spruce up and some decent tenants.

[Val Verde]

Originally Posted by tomd89

It's not the buildings that bring the area down, its the cheap take-aways that do. Get rid of those and you have a pretty attractive street. Hopefully the new Grand will improve the area and eventually get some nice attractive shops moving in.

Well such takeaways would have to go somewhere of course although it is apparent that New Briggate is certainly a take away alley at present.

However I see your point that New Briggate should certainly be improved especially as it could potentially become a new independent / quirky retail area for the top end of the city centre in conjunction with the Grand Arcade perhaps building on some of the bars which are there such as Sardinista, North Bar and Sela. It would surely be a good way of revitalising this street.

Also could buses be moved onto upper Vicar Lane (which could be made two way as opposed to one way) so that this street could be narrowed to become an access route only to encourage more footfall on New Briggate then at present (although works to rearrange the junction of Vicar Lane with the Inner Ring Road, North Street and New Briggate / Merrion Street would need to be made).

[aviator]

The scaffolding's now coming down and you can see glimpses of what lies beneath. I've copied one or two shots from earlier in the thread to provide a comparison.

For example, this one, posted by Jimbo, shows the projection box that was added to the tower over the Assembly Rooms





Now with the projection box remover and the tiles and leadwork renewed






Then an old pic that di Livio posted when he was commenting on the theatre's grubbiness:





Despite the scaffolding, you can see clearly how much cleaner the brickwork is:









Finally, a shot of the incomplete bridge from the theatre to Opera North's offices on the other side of Harrison Street:

[jimbo]

great update - so fantastic that the old Assembly Rooms have finally been given the respect they deserve. Get in there when they open - it's a lovely space. Reminds of somewhere like the Ritz dining room..... a string quartet wouldn't be out of place.

It's going to be a small music / jazz venue no?

[dkeeno1]

No being the correct word there, the Assembly Rooms are going to be uswed by Opera North, inparticular the Orchestra. There will be other events put on there as well, to benefit the puiblic, but its primary use is for Opera North.

[jimbo]

well, I thought it was going to be public space. buggeration!