Temple Works in Holbeck is a magnificent Grade-I listed building drenched in history and is famous for a number of reasons, and rightly so.
Known for it's incredible Ancient Egyptian design, the former flax mill was built back in 1836 and covers over two-acres of land.
Even today it is a sight to behold, but in the 19th century it was a feat of gargantuan proportions. In fact, the huge factory floor, where more than a thousand people used to work, was once the single biggest room in the entire world, cool right?
And it doesn't just stop there, in order to maintain the correct humidity levels in the mill, sheep would live on top of the building and graze all day long on the grass-covered roof. This would ensure that the linen thread would not dry out and therefore wouldn't break.
Image: Wikimedia Commons and Flickr: Elias Rovielo
Throughout this time Leeds became the epicentre of the flax industry, with Temple Works becoming a focus point in the city.
Just a few years after it was built it even became a hub for futuristic technological advancement when the problem of getting the sheep onto the roof was solved with the invention of the first ever hydraulic lift.
Temple Works became a conventional textile mill in the year 1900 before morphing into the northern headquarters of Kay’s catalogue during the 1950s.
Sadly it now sits derelict and lifeless, in desperate need of rejuvenation and restoration.
After a recent restoration plan from British fashion house Burberry fell through, the mill now lies in the hands of the CEG Group. Currently Leeds City Council are exploring the potential for it to be used as the base for British Library North which would be a fantastic way to rejuvenate such an important and iconic building.
Take a look at our Short Stuff series where we explore Leeds to uncover all the hidden gems, interesting facts and places to visit in our city.
Leeds City Council has confirmed that work to stabilise buildings on Lower Kirkgate is set to begin later this month, with repairs expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
Back in 2024, Lower Kirkgate in Leeds city centre was closed following the partial collapse of a building, leaving one of the city's oldest streets inaccessible.
Since then, the street has remained closed while plans were developed to address the structural issues affecting the buildings.
Now, almost two years after the initial incident, the council has confirmed that a contractor has been appointed to carry out the work.
The buildings are privately owned, but Leeds City Council says it will step in to carry out the stabilisation work to prevent further deterioration and protect the historic properties.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “We are pleased that, following months of careful planning and preparation, we are now in a position to begin stabilising these privately owned buildings.
“A contract has been awarded for the work, which is scheduled to get under way later this month and is expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.
“It should be stressed that the situation on Lower Kirkgate is not of the council's making, with the owners of the buildings allowing their condition to deteriorate over many years and then failing to take the necessary steps to address the resultant structural issues.
“By stepping in and carrying out this work itself, the council will be able to arrest the deterioration of important heritage assets on one of Leeds’s oldest streets. As always, we thank the local community for their continued patience and support.”
Further details about the work, including when the street may be able to reopen, have not yet been confirmed.
Canadian rock legends Nickelback announce Leeds gig on huge world arena tour
Clementine Hall
Nickelback announce world arena tour in support of their new album - and they're coming to Leeds.
The Canadian rockers will be bringing their biggest hits as well brand-new music to arenas around the world.
Formed in Hanna, Alberta, the band made up of Chad Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Mike Kroeger and Daniel Adair, have sold nearly 65 million albums worldwide.
Best known for rock anthems including Rockstar, Photograph and How You Remind Me, Nickelback have built up a huge global following over the course of their career.
The upcoming tour will see the band celebrate their new album, Everything Under The Sun, and they'll be kicking off the UK leg of the tour right here in Leeds at the First Direct Bank Arena.
The tour follows their record-setting Get Rollin' world tour, and will once again take them to venues across North America, Europe, and Australia.
The group have sold nearly 65 million albums worldwide, and achieved billions of streams across digital platforms.
Their new album will be released at the end of the month on Friday 30 October, so you'll have plenty of time to get to know their new tracks before they come to Leeds on Saturday 22 May 2027.
They'll be supported on the tour by Don Broco, an English four-piece featuring Rob Damiani, Simon Delaney, Tom Doyle and Matt Donnelly. Known for their genre-defying sound and dynamic approach to modern rock.
Nickelback 2027 UK Tour Dates in full
22 May - Leeds First Direct Bank Arena
24 May - London The O2
28 May - Birmingham Utility Arena
1 June - Glasgow Ovo Hydro
2 June - Manchester Co-op Live
Tickets for Nickelback at the Leeds First Direct Arena go on sale next Friday 16 October and you can get yours HERE.
Clementine Hall -
2nd August 2022 
