Neighbours fed up of living next door to eye-sore pub in Seacroft

A community in Seacroft say they are fed up of living next to an eyesore after being blighted by a pub that has been empty for four years.
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Since The Gate closed down, the pub on Kentmere Avenue, has been targeted by vandals throwing doors out of the windows, fly-tippers and residents say drug addicts are also using the building.

They report that there has also been domestic rubbish dumped on the site attracting plagues of rats and that environmental health teams have had to be drafted in and motorcycles being ridden anti-socially on the car park.

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Vincentsia Ford, 82, has lived in her home next door but one to the pub for more than 40 years. She said back in the day it was thriving with a football team and a karate club.

A number of residents living along Kentmere Avenue, Seacroft, Leeds, are complaining about condition of the former Gate Inn.A number of residents living along Kentmere Avenue, Seacroft, Leeds, are complaining about condition of the former Gate Inn.
A number of residents living along Kentmere Avenue, Seacroft, Leeds, are complaining about condition of the former Gate Inn.

She said: "It is disgusting. It has just gone down and down and we are fed up of it. It is just horrible, an eye-sore and it is not getting any better. Last year we had rats."

Mrs Ford said there had been talk of the building becoming an Indian restaurant but it never materialised as the potential developers couldn't raise the money needed to bring the building back into use given the level of dereliction.

She added: "They couldn't get enough money for it. The council says it is trying its best but it is not enough. I am 82, pay my poll tax and income tax and I don't want to live next door to something like that, why should we? We look after our own houses.

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"It was always a good pub and there was never any trouble but it went and closed and has been stuck like that for four years."

A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “Leeds City Council is aware of the situation regarding this building and we are working with the leaseholder to find a positive solution for the site.”