Eerie photographs offer a glimpse into the past of what was once a bustling cultural hub in Leeds.
The empty corridors of the Chinatown Shopping Mall, captured by urban explorer Kyle Urbex on Templar Place, tell a tale of abandonment and decay. Artwork on the walls, depicting dragons and intricate Asian script, stands as the only reminder of its former life. It is a place frozen in time, with broken glass windows and scattered remnants, like food containers and forgotten metal dollies.
Originally known as the Lyons Works, this historic site traces its roots back to the early 1900s when it served as a textile factory for the Alexandre tailoring company. Under the leadership of Mr. Samuel Henry Lyons, it churned out garments including suits, ties, shirts, and trousers.
The Lyons Works originally dates back to the early 1900's (mediadrumimages/Kyle Urbex)
The huge shopping mall attracted visitors from all over Yorkshire (mediadrumimages/Kyle Urbex)However, as the 1960s came about, the landscape began to shift. With the expanding Leeds Chinese community, the Lyons Works transformed, becoming the Chinatown Shopping Mall that once buzzed with life and activity. Drawing visitors from across Yorkshire, the giant shopping mall in Leeds' Chinatown was once the talk of the town.
But as Leeds evolved into a modern city, the vibrancy of Chinatown dwindled. Slowly but surely, shops closed their doors, leaving the iconic Lyons Works building vacant and forgotten. For nearly two decades, the once-thriving centre of activity has stood silent. Kyle said: “Not only did the site boast a huge shopping mall with Chinese-styled corridors but it also had its very own Chinese restaurant called the Lucky Dragon,” said Kyle.
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There areas with red roofs were once all shops (mediadrumimages/Kyle Urbex)
The ceiling is beginning to fall down in places (mediadrumimages/Kyle Urbex)“Other businesses were operating out of the mammoth building such as Leeds Cue Club, Thai massage parlours and even a nightclub.” Kyle also spoke about the last time the building attracted attention, back in 2016 when art students adorned its walls with a mural honouring Albert Einstein's wisdom. But now, the mural has vanished, leaving behind only uncertainty about the fate of the building.
He shared that exploring the place had long been on his to-do list. "As I was passing I noticed a way in and since nobody has documented this place I thought I'd be the first to put it on the Urbex scene”, he explained.
“Navigating around the old Chinese corridors certainly gives an insight into how Leeds was back in the 1960's the building was huge and didn't disappoint like a maze that kept on delivering more surprises. I'm so glad to be able to tick this one off and hopefully Leeds Chinatown can be reborn one day.”
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