Latest news with #MartinHamilton
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Restored Victorian bear pit officially reopens
A restored 1840s bear pit has been officially reopened in Leeds, with local residents now asked how they would like it to be used. The Grade II listed structure in Headingley once housed a brown bear as part of Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens and is now owned by Leeds Civic Trust. At an event on Saturday, members of the trust unveiled the refurbished building on Cardigan Road along with an information board explaining its history. Trust director Martin Hamilton previously said the non-profit organisation was "very open to how it be might used in the future". "We want to give people the opportunity to see what happened there," he said. "This project is something people can appreciate in the future as part of Headingley." The trust purchased the pit in 1966 for £128 and undertook an initial restoration project in the same year. On Saturday, members of the public were invited to take part in guided tours and plant wildflowers in the site's garden. A consultation has now been launched for ideas and feedback to make the space somewhere "everyone can enjoy", the trust said. Keys to the restored bear pit would be shared with partner organisations in the area to keep it as accessible as possible, it added. To celebrate the opening, the nearby Hyde Park Picture House cinema invited children to take part in a "bear hunt" and watch a screening of Paddington in Peru. Left Bank community arts centre hosted a family crafts event to mark the day. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Work on city's Victorian bear pit set to start Leeds Civic Trust
BBC News
30-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Leeds: Restored Victorian bear pit in Headingley officially reopens
A restored 1840s bear pit has been officially reopened in Leeds, with local residents now asked how they would like it to be Grade II listed structure in Headingley once housed a brown bear as part of Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens and is now owned by Leeds Civic an event on Saturday, members of the trust unveiled the refurbished building on Cardigan Road along with an information board explaining its director Martin Hamilton previously said the non-profit organisation was "very open to how it be might used in the future". "We want to give people the opportunity to see what happened there," he said."This project is something people can appreciate in the future as part of Headingley." The trust purchased the pit in 1966 for £128 and undertook an initial restoration project in the same Saturday, members of the public were invited to take part in guided tours and plant wildflowers in the site's garden.A consultation has now been launched for ideas and feedback to make the space somewhere "everyone can enjoy", the trust to the restored bear pit would be shared with partner organisations in the area to keep it as accessible as possible, it celebrate the opening, the nearby Hyde Park Picture House cinema invited children to take part in a "bear hunt" and watch a screening of Paddington in Bank community arts centre hosted a family crafts event to mark the day. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
£10m grant for mill library conversion reinstated
Funding to convert a Victorian mill in Leeds into a northern outpost of the British Library has been granted despite fears it had been withdrawn. The government has awarded £10m to the project to restore the Grade I-listed Temple Works in the Holbeck area of the city. Last year the Treasury said it was "minded to withdraw" from the scheme in a bid to make savings, but the money has now been confirmed. Leeds Civic Trust director Martin Hamilton said the backing was "fantastic" but that millions more would be needed to bring the former flax mill back into use. Temple Works has been empty for 20 years and was once the subject of plans by Burberry to open a factory at the site. It has Egyptian-style architecture. The £10m grant had been originally earmarked from the Department of Levelling Up's £100m culture regeneration budget, with British Library North one of 16 selected projects. Mr Hamilton said regenerating the "hugely important" building would "reach out" to communities nearby. "If you look at the area of Holbeck, which has been the subject of lots of regeneration in recent years, It does suffer from a disconnect with areas like Beeston. "You have the railway lines that sever more prosperous part of the city from the less prosperous parts. "Institutions like this can really connect and provide employment opportunities." It has been estimated that the scheme would cost £70m in total, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has contributed £5m. Temple Works also received a £1m boost for repairs in 2022 from Historic England. Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, also welcomed the funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. "We have worked hard in recent months with partners, including the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Homes England and the British Library itself, to make the case for this funding. "We will now continue to work alongside partners on detailed plans for the full funding, design and development of a project that remains a complex and challenging undertaking, but one that offers a major regeneration opportunity for both Temple Works and the surrounding area." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here. British Library outpost plan could lose £10m grant Egyptian-style landmark mill gets £1m repair boost
BBC News
18-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
British Library North: Temple Works restoration grant confirmed
Funding to convert a Victorian mill in Leeds into a northern outpost of the British Library has been granted despite fears it had been government has awarded £10m to the project to restore the Grade I-listed Temple Works in the Holbeck area of the year the Treasury said it was "minded to withdraw" from the scheme in a bid to make savings, but the money has now been Civic Trust director Martin Hamilton said the backing was "fantastic" but that millions more would be needed to bring the former flax mill back into use. Temple Works has been empty for 20 years and was once the subject of plans by Burberry to open a factory at the site. It has Egyptian-style architecture. The £10m grant had been originally earmarked from the Department of Levelling Up's £100m culture regeneration budget, with British Library North one of 16 selected Hamilton said regenerating the "hugely important" building would "reach out" to communities nearby."If you look at the area of Holbeck, which has been the subject of lots of regeneration in recent years, It does suffer from a disconnect with areas like Beeston."You have the railway lines that sever more prosperous part of the city from the less prosperous parts."Institutions like this can really connect and provide employment opportunities." It has been estimated that the scheme would cost £70m in total, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority has contributed £ Works also received a £1m boost for repairs in 2022 from Historic James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, also welcomed the funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government."We have worked hard in recent months with partners, including the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Homes England and the British Library itself, to make the case for this funding."We will now continue to work alongside partners on detailed plans for the full funding, design and development of a project that remains a complex and challenging undertaking, but one that offers a major regeneration opportunity for both Temple Works and the surrounding area."Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
