Leeds property: Meet the man behind the 'eccentric' Alwoodley mansion that took social media by storm

When Gerry Layton put his north Leeds mansion up for sale, he never expected his unique home to garner so much attention.
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However, it wasn't long until the eccentric interiors caught the eye of national newspapers, causing the Alwoodley house to go viral.

Thousands took to social media to share their opinions on his polarising design choices, with some fans saying "Laurence Llewelyn Bowen eat your heart out'', while others saying it looked like "Donald trump had decorated it" - the latter comparison Gerry is less thrilled about.

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The Wigton Lane home is certainly one of a kind - with an eclectic mix of statues, paintings, bold animals prints, skeletons and even a couple of ballgown wearing mannequins thrown in for good measure.

Take a look inside Gerry Layton's eccentric nine-bedroom Alwoodley home.Take a look inside Gerry Layton's eccentric nine-bedroom Alwoodley home.
Take a look inside Gerry Layton's eccentric nine-bedroom Alwoodley home.

It boasts nine bedrooms, six reception rooms, four kitchens, four Jacuzzi bathrooms, a detached two bedroom annex and its own bar.

The house, which is on the market for £1,695,000, also has three fountains and a whopping ten chandeliers - inspired by one of Gerry's trips to Buckingham palace.

It all may seem like mad medley of design but it all begins to make sense when you begin to learn about the remarkable life of its owner.

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"There wasn't a photo of the music room in any of the articles," Gerry said, "If there had been I think it might have attracted different headlines.

Gerry Layton with his dragons outside his Wigton Lane home.Gerry Layton with his dragons outside his Wigton Lane home.
Gerry Layton with his dragons outside his Wigton Lane home.

"I've led a very interesting life. I was in a band in the 60s called The Outer Limits.

"During that time, I became more interested in the sound mixing and engineering so I left the band in 67. [Former band mate Jeff Christie would go to record the chart topping 'Yellow River' with his new band.]

"I pursued a career in recording studios, I had a stint producing in studios near Marble Arch working with the likes of Chuck Berry and The Kinks.

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"Yorkshire TV was due to launch in 1968 and I secured a job as a sound engineer.

The music room in Gerry Layton's home. Gerry used to be part of The Outer Limits band in the 60s.The music room in Gerry Layton's home. Gerry used to be part of The Outer Limits band in the 60s.
The music room in Gerry Layton's home. Gerry used to be part of The Outer Limits band in the 60s.

"I had a great time working in TV and worked with many stars like Shirley Bassey, Jane Seymour, Caroline Monroe.

"They often sent me down to Abbey Road studios to record sessions so I was always brushing shoulders with people like George Michael and Bananarama.

"I did all sorts, including working on the first ever episode of Emmerdale Farm and the first episode of Through the Keyhole with David Frost, which seems funny now that people are going through the keyhole of my house."

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Gerry then left Yorkshire TV to pursue his something completely different - his dream of living in a motor yacht in the south of France.

The living room.The living room.
The living room.

This then led to him working with chartered yachts in Palma before getting his captain's license and a commercial license to provide luxury tours of the Thames river, in London.

His boat has hosted some very famous faces and was even used for filming a high speed boat chase on a big blockbuster film.

Gerry has now hung up his captain's hat due to the pandemic, and is considering moving to London full time, which is why he has put his house on the market.

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Speaking about his quirky home, he said: "I have no preconceived idea about the style.

"I like anything as long as it is not a silver, grey clone of something, like you see in many homes nowadays.

"My paintings are rubbish. Rubbish copies. I bought some for the frames.

"If I see something I want, I buy it, no matter if its trashy or classy. I'll wonder where to put it afterwards.

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"I've got a moving seven-foot lurch from The Addams Family in the library which scares the life out of people.

"In the hallway I've got two mannequins by the door. One's called Meeta and the other is called Greeta.

"I remember carrying my other mannequin - who is behind the bar now - across Street Lane and her leg fell off. I heard a woman scream and then a guy shouted that he was calling an ambulance. It was like an episode of Mr Bean.

"In respect to the chandeliers, that came about when I walked around Buckingham Palace for the first time and saw that the ceiling is covered in chandeliers.

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"I came home and put one in every spot I could. I'd have one in the loo if I could."

For Gerry, his home is full of things that he likes, make him smile or make him laugh.

He says his house reflects the way he has lived his life - having lots of fun.

Gerry said: "The house is pretty prominent, especially because I have two dragons statues by the front door.

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"It kind of evolved by itself but it mirrors my outlook on life which is that life should be fun.

"It's all meant to be tongue in cheek, like my own eccentricity.

"It is not meant to pretentious.

"It makes people smile and anything that makes people smile has got to be good thing."

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