Leeds Kirkgate Market has long been celebrated as the largest indoor market in Europe, but it’s not just the array of traders and products that set it apart as a truly unique shopping experience.
Having witnessed years of city centre development, as Leeds flourished as a haven for shoppers from high street to high end, Leeds Kirkgate Market remains one of the city’s oldest and most important retail developments. Completed in 1857 the iconic building was developed in response to growing public demand for markets and food halls.
Mr Tilney, the Borough Commissioner in 1850, had high hopes for Leeds Kirkgate Market and unveiled ambitious plans and designs inspired by renowned architect, Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London.
Welcoming shoppers from across the region, Leeds Kirkgate Market grew in popularity and reputation, leading to further expansion. In 1875 less than 20 years after completion, land was acquired to the south and east of the market for further redevelopment.
Ambition and expansion
Throughout the latter years of the 19th century Leeds Kirkgate Market continued to expand creating the largest indoor market in Europe complemented by outdoor markets and a rolling programme of speciality markets.
As traders and shoppers alike continued to flock to the market, planners, architects and developers pushed the boundaries of technology and innovation creating ‘fish row’, a dedicated, and more importantly cooled, area of the market for fishmongers bringing fresh produce from the coast. The new fish market, completed in 1894, was large enough to accommodate wholesale and retail customers, making Leeds Kirkgate Market one of the most important trading sites in the region.
From 1891-1895 the domed and glazed roof was added to the market bringing old and new sections together to create the largest indoor shopping experience in the country and protect traders and their produce from adverse weather conditions, after all this is the north of England!
The final phase of this grand period of expansion was a meat market and abattoir added in 1899, again providing fresh produce to wholesale and retail customers alike and further cementing Leeds Kirkgate Market’s place at the heart of the retail and hospitality trade in Yorkshire. With the total cost of expansion at £25,000 Mr Tinley had realised his ambitions for one of the world’s finest markets.
Amidst the backdrop of booming retail, commerce and textile industries Leeds was granted city status in 1893 and the new Leeds City Council were eager to ensure that their city was worthy of its title.
Whilst the markets had expanded the area surrounding the markets around Vicar Lane were packed with slums and slaughterhouses. A design competition was launched to search for an architect capable of creating an elaborate entrance befitting the market and its status at the centre of the city’s retail and wholesale trade.
The competition prize was £150 and was awarded to Joseph & John Leeming from London amid controversy and prize fixing allegations. Despite the public furore Leeds City Council went ahead with the proposed design, budgeting £80,000 for the work.
Fuelling the storm surrounding the new entrance, traders were given just one week’s notice to vacate the building in May 1901, ahead of work starting on the new entrance hall. Understandably traders were in uproar demanding compensation for destroyed fixtures and fittings and loss of trade.
The new entrance leading from Vicar Lane into a new market hall was completed in 1904 costing £116,700, almost £37,000 over budget. Opened in July 1904 by G W Balfour, President of the Board of Trade and MP for Central Leeds, the official proceedings were also attended by the mayor of Leeds, Alderman Currer Briggs, and the mayors of Bradford, Wakefield, Doncaster, Halifax, Huddersfield, Batley, Rotherham, Harrogate, Pontefract, Ossett and Pudsey.
Trade continued to flourish and shoppers continued to visit from miles around as Leeds Kirkgate Market gained in reputation. Surviving the First World War and playing a vital role for those struggling through the economic depression, the market continued to trade throughout World War II with a reduced number of traders and became the home of the Ministry of Food in Leeds providing rationing in the city.
Adversity / disaster
On 14th March 1941 during the peak of World War II, the market suffered from the German army air raids across the north of England but damage was limited and trading continued. The ever enterprising city planners took the opportunity to further grow the market adding a new open market, alongside warehouses and 20 new butcher’s units, what is now known as Butcher’s Row.
Sadly this was not to be the end of Leeds Kirkgate Market’s unlucky streak. On 13th December 1975 as traders were already welcoming festive shoppers from across the country, fire spread throughout the halls destroying two thirds of the now famous market. Traders battled to contain the fire as it spread throughout the halls destroying businesses and livelihoods.
Nobody lost their life in the blaze but the city counted the cost of the jewel in its retail crown, and traders mourned businesses that had served generations of locals throughout the years. Miraculously the 1904 hall remained intact and with a fighting spirit the market re-opened for trade just three days after the fire, with work to rebuild the damaged areas starting early in 1976.
In 1976 and 1981 the new halls were opened and Dutch developers MAB (UK) Ltd proposed to expand and redevelop the market further in 1986. The venture was promoted by Leeds City Council and Norwich Union. The scheme offered £120 million which would increase the market to 400,000 sq ft, longer than the Houses of Parliament, create a new bus station and 2,000 new car parking spaces.
Undoubtedly it was an attractive proposition however some members of the general public, Market Traders’ Association, the Leeds Civic Trust and the Victorian Society were worried it would compromise the historical and unique integrity of the market. Leeds City Council needed a Compulsory Purchase Order granted to undergo the renovation, in 1989 the Secretary of State for the Environment refused the order and in 1990 the project was formally abandoned.
A Modern Market
However having suffered fire damage, a continuation of expansion and development throughout the ages and the wear and tear of a working environment the market was still desperately in need of repair. In 1991 the area adjacent to the markets including Leeds Corn Exchange and White Cloth Hall were undergoing plans for renovation and Norwich Union and Leeds City Council proposed a new £8 million scheme to ensure that the market was not left behind as newer shopping districts were developed for Leeds city centre.
The proposals for renovations included: restoration of the original lead domes, stones and pinnacles on the entrance created in 1904; Additional shop units built to replicate the original style; Modern drainage systems, water and electricity supply; Upgraded fire and security systems; Toilet facilities with disabled access; Renovations to the key entrances; Restoration of the 1875 market building; Additional stalls across the outdoor market area; 30,000 sq ft of office accommodation above the market hall.
The proposal was approved and work was completed in 1999 with the final additional of a dedicated fish and game row, providing fresh locally sourced produce in a fully climate controlled environment. Although the building and the market itself have a rich heritage, over recent years shopping habits have changed as people turn to 24 hour stores and on-line alternatives to accommodate their busy lifestyles.
More recently Leeds City Council has worked with a number of private sector partners and business organisations to introduce new schemes and ventures to Leeds Kirkgate Market. In the summer of 2009 a new trading scheme led by Sharing the Success, the Leeds Local Enterprise Growth Initiative was introduced.
Entitled How Bizaar, the scheme offered new start up businesses the opportunity to test trade in the market, meet customers and learn the retail trade for a short term period with low risk over a 12 week rent free period. The scheme aimed to encourage those with an interest in the retail to consider Leeds Kirkgate Market as an alternative to the high street for their business premises.
On 25th June 2010 Jamie's Ministry of Food was launched in the market, bringing the heritage of the market bang up to date. Offering cookery lessons from as little £4 per class, this new food initiative aims to educate people to cook healthy, good quality, low cost meals and plan family budgets and meal times. Most of the ingredients used in the classes are sourced from the market encouraging shoppers to return to the more traditional approach to food shopping in favour supermarkets.
Following on from the success of Jamie’s Ministry of Food and a rise in demand from a growing city centre population of young professionals, Leeds City Council launched a new Shop & Drop scheme on 18th July 2011. The scheme promotes the newly extended shopping times from 8am-6pm and allows busy customers more flexibility. Shoppers can buy fresh produce first thing in the morning on their way to work and store items in the custom-built cold room for collection before 6pm on their way home. The Shop & Drop initiative encourages healthy eating habits among a younger city centre audience and ensures that all customers have access to great quality fresh produce that Leeds Kirkgate Market is renowned for.
For more information about the history of Leeds’ historic buildings visit the Leeds Civic Trust.
