£1 million has been donated by the government towards the restoration project.
Temple Works is expected to push ahead with plans to restore its huge mill space as part of the British Library North project after further government investment.
Since 2009, one of Leeds' most historically significant mills has stood derelict, awaiting a much-needed restoration. After being purchased by property company CEG in 2017 for just £1, the mill has since felt the rise and fall of potential investment over the past five years.
In need of urgent repairs to return the former flax mill into a heritage rich site, over £1 million has now been donated to allow Temple Works to transform into the home of the Northern British Library.
The Grade I listed building has already received £25m of devolution money, secured by the council to support the project. According to reporting by Leeds Live, the money is held by the West Yorkshire authority. It is expected the council will draw around £5m to cover the costs of a full restoration by development partner CEG.
Previously Leeds City Council Leader, James Lewis has shown his enthusiasm for the project:
“These plans for Temple Works reflect both a sense of pride in Leeds’s past and a real determination to forge a future that benefits people in all our local communities. Temple Works is a jewel in Leeds’s heritage crown and the prospect of seeing it start a new chapter as the home of the British Library in the North is hugely exciting."
The sum of money was donated as part of a Culture Recovery Fund grant, which will allow plans to continue with the restoration project of one of Leeds' largest mills. £636,000 has come from the Heritage Stimulus Fund to go towards the roof and a further £400,000 has been donated to subsidise the costs of restoring the Counting House and its well-known Egyptian facade by Historic England's Yorkshire regional 'pot'. This will allow the rooms to become a showcase area for the British Library plans.
What was once hinted to be taken over by the likes of Burberry, Temple Works' fate has been hanging in the balance for quite some time. The designer brand pulled out of any potential deals back in 2018 and the company has since sold the 10 acres of land that they owned.
The building has finally began to secure funding from various heritage funds and £5 million from Leeds City Council. It is hoped that the project can now begin to come to life and the former flax mill can be restored into a historical place of significance for the public to view once more.
More information is expected to follow in the coming months about this exciting new project.
Feature Image- The British Library
Leeds
Female-founded independent jewellery brand to open in Leeds’ Victoria Gate
Norfolk-based jewellery brand Lisa Angel is opening their first Yorkshire site right here in Leeds.
Jewellery and trinket lovers, this one's for you.
Lisa Angel, a female-founded jewellery and gifting brand will open the doors to its new store in Victoria Gate next month.
Shoppers can expect a wonderful range of jewellery, gifts, and accessories that have established a loyal following during more than twenty years of business.
Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has only gone from strength to strength since.
Image: Supplied
The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.
After opening two stores last year and three stores in 2024, Lisa Angel’s founder and Creative Director, Lisa, said: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.
"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”
Managing Director James Moody explained the significance to the business of opening a new store in a city as influential as Leeds: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.
"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."
We'll keep you up to date when we know an opening date, but for now you can check out what to expect here.
Yorkshire residents are being invited to name two new bin lorries
Clementine Hall
Well...this is a new one.
Ever fancied naming a bin lorry? Well today is your lucky day, because now you can.
Yorkshire-based waste management experts Divert are celebrating the arrival of two swanky new tbin rucks by inviting the local community to help name them.
The iconic purple bins, vans and trucks can be seen across the Yorkshire area helping to clean up waste from Bradford to Harrogate.
Two new lorries are set to be joining the fleet in April and May, and of course they need a name.
And who better to ask than the general public? The winning names will be added to the cabs of each of the trucks for all to see, and announced via the Divert website and social media channels.
Absolutely anyone from across the UK is welcome to take part, but the company are especially keen for people from Yorkshire to enter.
You can be as creative as you like, but there are a couple of rules...
No swearing or offensive names. Aside from that, you can let your freak flag fly.
The Divert team are keen to hear the 'best celebrity puns, local namesakes, and downright silly names' the public have to offer.
John Verity, Managing Director of Divert, comments: “Naming our bin trucks is a great way to bring some joy to the local community. We hope to bring a smile to the faces of passing drivers and pedestrians as our fleet passes by.
“Not only that, naming our lorries can help our drivers to take pride and ownership in the vehicles they drive and be a key reminder of our engagement within the community. We’re always keen to employ any initiatives that help the public to engage with us and ensure we’re seen as a friendly face in the area.”
Winners will be voted for by the team internally, and the competition closes at 5 pm on 31 March 2026.
Sophie Smith -
12th April 2022 
