A historic Holbeck building is set to begin a new chapter after Leeds Building Society announced plans to renovate the Old Box Office on Domestic Street for community use.
As part of the Heart of Holbeck regeneration plans, Holbeck Together will become owners and custodian of the building, with responsibility for ensuring it continues to serve the needs of local people for generations to come.
The charity is working with Leeds Building Society and Leeds City Council on proposals to transform the building into a larger community space, with plans including a community shop and kitchen, reception area, a new home for re:loved, Holbeck Together’s charity shop, alongside space for office staff and other organisations and services.
A planning application has been submitted to Leeds City Council, and it is anticipated that works will start in the New Year once it has been reviewed.
The building has a long association with the area. It opened as an 824-seat Picture House cinema in 1916, later becoming a bingo hall and then a branch of what was then Leeds and Holbeck Building Society.
That heritage is particularly significant to the current project. Leeds Building Society traces its roots back to Holbeck more than 150 years ago and has a longstanding partnership with Holbeck Together, which will mark its tenth anniversary in 2027.
As part of that support, the Society has provided the charity with office space in the Old Box Office for a number of years.
The Society has now confirmed plans to make a series of renovations to the Old Box Office building before gifting it to Holbeck Together as part of the wider regeneration focus on the area.
Andrew Greenwood, Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Leeds Building Society, said:
“Holbeck has been part of our story from the very beginning. We were founded here more than 150 years ago to help people save, put down roots and build secure futures for themselves and their families. Although we’ve grown since then, that same sense of home, community and belonging continues to shape who we are today.
“Gifting the Old Box Office to Holbeck Together is a fitting next chapter for a building in an area that represents such a significant part of our heritage. It is also an important part of the wider Heart of Holbeck programme, showing what we can achieve when businesses work alongside local government and communities to make lasting change happen. Holbeck Together does incredible work for local people, and we are proud to play our part as we approach ten years of partnership. By placing the building in their hands, we hope it can become a welcoming place where people can connect, access support and feel a real sense of belonging.”
Originally established in 1992 to support older people, the charity now works with people of all ages.
Elissa Newman, Chief Officer at Holbeck Together said the proposal represented an important investment in Holbeck and a continuation of the building’s community story.
“Leeds Building Society’s decision to gift the building to Holbeck Together is an incredibly important gesture. Both our organisations have deep roots in Holbeck and we take the prospect of becoming custodians of the Old Box Office very seriously.
“We will be taking responsibility for an important community asset, and our job will be to protect it, make it sustainable and ensure it continues to respond to the needs of local people long into the future.”
The Old Box Office redevelopment is part of the wider Heart of Holbeck regeneration programme, which is bringing investment into community buildings, homes, streets and public spaces across the neighbourhood as part of the Government’s Local Regeneration Fund.
Alongside housing improvements and investment in green spaces, plans are progressing on the development of St Matthew’s Community Centre.
If approved, the plans would allow Holbeck Together to significantly expand its services and create a more flexible, welcoming base for the local community.
This post is based on a press release issued by Holbeck Together
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When will the burnt out shops be demolished as they are an eye sore and make domestic St look very run down