Enjoyed another beautiful English summer's day yesterday - blue sky, fluffy white clouds, warm but not too hot. I ventured across to Leeds (about 10 miles away from Saltaire) intending to visit Temple Newsam House (which I did). On the way I popped in to see the newly refurbished Corn Exchange building in Leeds city centre - it's impressive. It's reputed to be one of Britain's finest Victorian buildings and is Grade 1 listed. This photo reminded me of a peacock's tail, somehow. The building is round, with a domed roof, giving it this interesting structural pattern. The doors are small shop units which open only to the inside of the building - a legacy from its days as a corn exchange.
There has been some controversy about the refurbishment. The Corn Exchange used to have lots of little shops selling clothes, jewellery and ephemera - it was a kind of funky, 'alternative' place. The traders all got turfed out and the lower floor is now a restaurant, but there are virtually no other shops... blame the credit crunch, maybe?
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