Queens Hall, Leeds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Queens Hall

Queens Hall in 1981, seen before demolition
Former names	Swinegate Tram Depot
Location	Leeds, West Yorkshire, England
Coordinates	53°47′38″N 1°32′37″W / 53.7940°N 1.5436°W / 53.7940; -1.5436
Owner	Leeds Corporation Tramways
Capacity	5,000
Construction
Opened	May 1961
Closed	1989
Demolished	1989

Queens Hall was a well-known building in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It started its life as a place for trams and then buses. Later, it became a popular spot for concerts and big shows. People visited for events like the Ideal Home Exhibition, the Great British Beer Festival, and many concerts.

History of Queens Hall

This multi-storey car park now stands where Queens Hall used to be.

The Queens Hall building was built around the year 1900. Back then, it was known as the Swinegate Tram Depot. It was a large place where Leeds's trams were stored and maintained.

In 1961, the building got a new purpose. It was changed into a music and event venue. It quickly became a favorite place for students and people in Leeds. The hall could hold up to 5,000 people for events. The very first event held there was a big home and food show in May 1961.

Over the years, Queens Hall hosted many famous music acts. Some bands, like Motörhead, even joked about the sound quality. It could also get very cold inside during winter. Sometimes, ice would form on the old tramlines that were still there.

By the 1980s, people in Leeds started talking about building a new, modern arena. Queens Hall needed a lot of updates to be a good concert venue. So, in 1989, Queens Hall was taken down. Today, most of the area is a car park. Some new buildings, like offices for BT, have also been built there.

A new concert venue, the Leeds Arena, opened in 2013. This arena now hosts many of the big concerts in Leeds.

Redevelopment of the Site

After Queens Hall was demolished, there were many ideas for what to build next. Since the 1990s, different plans were suggested. For example, in 1995, there was a plan for an office building. Later, in 2004, there were ideas for two tall skyscrapers.

However, none of these early plans actually happened. Finally, in 2015, new business buildings were constructed. This area is now called Sovereign Square. It completed the redevelopment of the old Queens Hall site.

Who Performed There?

Many famous bands and musicians played at Queens Hall. Here are some of the acts that performed on its stage: