Thornton's Arcade: The story of Leeds city centre's first arcade of attraction

Thornton's Arcade, which runs between Briggate and Lands Lane in the city centre, has been serving shoppers for more than a century. The Victorian-era gem first opened in May 1878 as one of Britain's first covered retail arcades. It was the vision of Charles Thornton, proprietor of the City Varieties, who submitted plans to build the city's first arcade on the site of the Old Talbot Inn in 1875. It was originally designed by architect Charles Fowler but the Borough Engineer would not agree to the designs because of problems with the drainage. Charles Thornton changed his architect, and engaged George Smith, whose altered plans met with approval. The famous clock featuring characters from Sir Walter Scott novels Ivanhoe was added later on which has become a significant feature of the architectural wonder. The arcade houses an eclectic mix of independent retailers which has made it a go to destination for savvy shoppers down the decades. These photos, a mix from the YEP archive and others published courtesy of photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service, tell the story of this arcade of attraction. READ MORE: Grand Arcade clock - Hidden history of a Leeds city centre landmark LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook YEP RETRO NEWSLETTER: Sign up for our free monthly email digest of Leeds nostalgia