The ups of downs of an historic Leeds gem which took couples on romantic rides

The ornate marble and gilt lift. Seen at the gate is Susan Dunwell, a cashier with Waring and Gillow in July 1985.

This lift at the former Waring and Gillow store on Albion Place was believed to date back to 1922 when the Scala cinema and ballroom opened on the site.

Over the years it took thousands of couples on romantic rides to and from the top floor ballroom and was later used by customers when the building became a furniture store.

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When the building was sold by Waring and Gillow for £2.3 million in 1985 talks were held with Leeds City Council planning officers about preserving the lift and the ornate Italian marble staircase which surrounds it.

Store manager Alan Tinker, who handed over to new tenants British Shoe Corporation in July 1985, said many customers recalled using the lift at the Scala.

Leeds assistant planning director Alan Hull said the city council had asked for the staircase to be included in inclusion plans.

"The building has a certain character about it and we do try to suggest in these cases that attractive features could be kept," he said.

In January 1927 the first motion pictures to be presented in Leeds with sound recorded on film were shown at the Scala.

It became a furniture store in 1958 after a £250,000 conversion scheme. At the time the marble staircase was considered too valuable to destroy.

In 1980 a blaze caused extensive damage the the building which was then elegantly restored.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE LIFT? Share your memories with Andrew Hutchinson via email at: [email protected] or tweet him - @AndyHutchYPN*********************

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