How a remnant of Leeds's textile heritage was transformed into a 'palace for the unemployed'

It was a vicar’s dream to create a “palace for the unemployed.”

The Rev Malcolm Stonestreet was on a mission in the early 1980s to transform a dilapidated remnant of Leeds’s textile heritage.

St Catherine’s Mill on Broad Lane was once a thriving textile mill, alive with the hum of machinery and the tread of mill workers’ feet.

But the mill fell victim to the slump in the textile industry and was closed down. Its doors remained shut and the building attracted only dust and vandals until it caught the attention of the Rev Stonestreet, Vicar of Bramley.

He set about seeing his vision of a “palace” for Bramley’s 2,000 jobless become a reality as a small band of unemployed people work to transform the 34,000 sq ft of empty space.

That dream became a reality in September 1983 when the mill was opened and rebranded as Cats Ltd.

Fast forward to March 1984 and volunteers were needed to staff a brand new eating place at Cats.

Cats kitchen was already fully equipped for serving hot and cold food. But it was short of around 40 catering staff needed to feed hungry workers at the converted mill and occasional visitors from outside.

Catering administrator Peter Forsaith told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “I want people with a bit of dedication and interest - experience in catering is not absolutely essential.

“The work would suit young people keen to enter the catering trade but unable to get experience, or people who have worked in catering and are prepared to give a little bit of their spare time to us.“

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The kitchen was being used to serve unemployed people working on the mill conversion. But he planned to extend the facilities to visiting the mill on a casual basis.

“We will be serving fresh food, freshly food at about £2 for a three-course meal with coffee,” he said.