Web exclusive: Restored Leeds City Varieties Theatre unveiled (VIDEO)

TUICKED away in the city centre is a little gem with a giant reputation. There's nothing else quite like this place which over the past 145 years has played host to the greatest names.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Jul 2010, 20:07 BST
Updated 6th Jul 2010, 11:21 BST

If only the nicotine-stained walls of Leeds City Varieties could speak, they would tell tales of a very young clog dancer called Charlie Chaplin, the beauty that was Marie Lloyd, Houdini's audacious escape from a locked safe, an evening with Mickey Rooney, Flanagan and Allan, Norman Wisdom, Danny La Rue...the list goes on.

For 30 years to 1983, the BBC producer Barney Colehan lured talent here for Edwardian-costumed punters who joined in a roistering rendition of Down at the Old Bull and Bush to round off television's the Good Old Days.

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Now this great venue is a good way through its biggest facelift.

The grade II* listed building closed last January. Before the builders could start, 42 third party agreements had to be negotiated with the owners of adjacent buildings and businesses in the cramped area around the theatre.

It was handed over to contractors BAM in November and they will finish in March next year. Leeds council is paying 5.2m, the Heritage Lottery Fund nearly 3m and the Friends of Leeds City Varieties fundraising contributes 1.6m.