Leeds nostalgia: Hammerson appeals for your '˜retail' memories of Leeds

As the £165m Victoria Gate development nears completion later this year, Hammerson is launching History of Here, an exhibition that celebrates the rich retail heritage of Leeds.

The project aims to bring together memories, stories and images from archives and the community of Leeds. As part of the project, Victoria Gate and Victoria Quarter are calling for local people to share their images, videos and stories, as well as collating archived images from partners such as Leeds City Council.

James Hepburn, development manager at Hammerson said: “Leeds has always retained a strong retail presence, which Victoria Gate will continue to grow upon with its opening later this year.

“As we look forward to bringing John Lewis and a range of new, aspirational retail brands to Leeds with the opening of Victoria Gate, we wanted to look back and uncover the community’s memories of shopping in the city.”

Coun Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “History of Here is a great way to share memories of what makes Leeds City Centre so special to the many people who live, work and visit here every day. Looking back at how far we have come is a great way to celebrate our rich retail history.”

James added: “Whether stories are from five or 50 years ago, we’d love to hear from you.”

Members of the public can enter by uploading their images and stories to Victoria Gate’s Facebook and Twitter pages. To find out more about the History of Here project and how to enter visit: www.victoriagate.co.uk/news/historyofhere

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