The Headrow has long been one of the best known streets in the city centre but a number of its most prominent buildings are currently standing empty, along with a number of former shops and restaurants.
After consulting Leeds City Council’s planning portal, and numerous property websites, we built up a good idea of what’s likely to happen to some of the iconic street’s former business premises.
1. Former Leeds Building Society Headquarters
Known as Permanent House, this was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and built in 1931. It originally consisted of nine shops and 89 offices used by the Leeds Electricity Department, Inland Revenue, and Cadbury’s. It would eventually become the home to Leeds Building Society’s head office, before the banking group left for new premises in Sovereign Street back in 2021. The site is now expected to become a new mathematics school, able to take on 240 learners, all aged between 16 and 19, and could eventually hold 400 students. (Pic: Jonathan Gawthorpe)
Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
2. Former Barclay’s Bank and Chambers
The grade II listed building was opened in 1938, and became the flagship Barclay’s Bank branch in Leeds, before closing in 2022. There appear to be no planning applications in place for the site. (Pic: Jonathan Gawthorpe)
Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
3. Former Lloyds Bank
Another part of the redevelopment of the Headrow in the 1930s – the grade II listed building was home to Lloyds Bank until 2015. It has been empty ever since. An application for listed building consent to convert the building into 23 flats was approved by Leeds City Council last month.
(Pic: Jonathan Gawthorpe)
Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
4. Corner of East Parade and The Headrow
Proposals approved by Leeds City Council planning chiefs in 2020 will see a new five-storey building at 19-20 East Parade and to convert the adjacent Grade II listed former Jubilee Hotel to create a 43 unit apart-hotel. The Headrow side is the former Circus Circus Pub, built in 1904.
(Pic Jonathan Gawthorpe)
Photo: Jonathan Gawthorpe
