Member Article

Iconic Temple Works up for auction in next Pugh Leeds property sale

An eclectic mix of historic properties is due to go under the hammer in Pugh’s next Yorkshire and North East auction, which will be held at Elland Road Stadium in Leeds on 7 December.

They include Temple Works in Holbeck, a Grade I listed mill built in 1840 and featured among the Victorian Society’s 10 most endangered buildings six years ago. The 18,000 sq ft Egyptian-style former flax mill is currently empty but had been earmarked for conversion by Burberry until the manufacturer dropped its £50m plans to renovate the building and create a state of the art raincoat factory in July this year.

The property will be auctioned with nil reserve, meaning it will be sold to the highest bidder on the day regardless of the size of the bid.

Also up for auction are a pair of Grade II listed textile mills on Bradford Road in Dewsbury with a guide price of £250,000. Dating from 1860, the mills were part of the area’s rag manufacturing industry and produced low quality fabric from recycled woollen yarn. The 21,000 sq ft buildings are currently let to a variety of local small businesses.

In Bradford, the former Forster Community College in the city centre’s Little Germany district is up for sale. The Grade II listed 14,000 sq ft building on a 0.5 acre site dates from the early 19th century, when it was built as a church school, and has a guide price of £120,000 - £130,000.

Other unorthodox properties to be auctioned include three former police buildings in Huddersfield. The small stations or ‘section boxes’ in Moldgreen, Milnsbridge and Fartown were used as rest areas or stop off points for the police and are being sold rather than incur the costs of refurbishment. At around 500 sq ft each, the individual guide prices are set at £10,000 - £15,000.

Paul Thompson, managing director of auctioneer Pugh, said: “There is a real treasure trove of Yorkshire’s architectural and industrial past among the lots at our December auction in Leeds. Temple Works is one of the most iconic symbols of Leeds’ heritage as a world renowned textiles centre.

“Historic buildings are always a draw for investors, and when they are also in the North of England they are particularly sought after as excellent investment opportunities. Needless to say we expect to see exceptional interest in this auction.”

Established 25 years ago, Pugh was acquired by property consultant Eddisons last year and now has a team of 36 staff. The firm sold £100m of property at auction in 2016. Pugh’s Yorkshire and North East auction will be held at Leeds United’s Elland Road Stadium on 7 December. The firm’s North West auction will be held on 5 December at the AJ Bell Stadium, Manchester.

The full catalogue is available to view at www.pugh-auctions.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Kilmurray .