Local history

Builders working on the £1.5m refurbishment of Leeds City Art Gallery have opened up a room hidden from public view for more than 50 years. They made the discovery when they removed a wall between the gallery and Leeds Central Library next door, to open up the Victorian Tiled Hall.

How the Tiled Hall looked in 1950

The decorative tiles had been hidden behind plasterboard and fake walls, but will now be one of the main attractions once the area between the two buildings is returned to its former glory, as part of the major refurbishment programme.

The former archway of the Victorian Tiled Hall is being reinstated and will unveil an area which has been masked from public view since it was blocked off in the 1950s.

The hall will house a new café, shop, computers and comfortable seating area and the archway will allow people to move easily between the art gallery and library. The project will also see the creation of a new exhibition gallery in the Art Gallery, capable of hosting major national and international exhibitions. Children and families will also benefit from new, dedicated learning space.

Another section of the scheme will see modern electronic doors replacing the gallery's existing doors, plus the installation of a new lift to improve disabled access. Funding for the restoration project has come from Leeds City Council and Yorkshire Forward and work is expected to be complete by May next year.