Heritage Heroes: Meet the man revealing the hidden secrets and stories of Leeds Kirkgate Market

Beneath the iron rafters of Leeds Kirkgate Market, where fires, rebuilds and generations of traders have all left their mark, Rob Kilner draws in sell-out crowds eager to hear its secrets.

His passion for the place, from the subterranean barber’s shop to the oysters that once hid a genuine pearl, has made him one of Leeds’ most cherished keepers of market folklore, and a true heritage hero.

Rob has been leading the market’s monthly heritage tours for several years now - and they’re almost always booked to the brim.

For many visitors, he’s the first person to show them that the market isn’t just somewhere to pick up fruit, veg and a bargain: it’s a living, breathing archive of Leeds’ past and future.

He said: “I was born in Leeds and I’ve lived in Leeds most of my life. I can remember going to the market when I was a kid. It’s kind of a magical place, something unlike anywhere else in Leeds.”

Rob never set out to become the market’s unofficial historian. For years he worked in finance, slipping out on his lunch breaks to explore the city.

“I used to go on my lunch break from this office and go to various places, and the market was one of the places I loved going to," he said.

His involvement began after taking part in a heritage tour led by another guide

Later, he became involved in Compass Live Art, an arts festival doing creative work inside the market.

Rob said: “They were doing some arty things in the market, so I started doing tours as part of this arts festival.”

When a friend was offered the chance to lead the council’s official tours but couldn’t take it on, he asked Rob, who eagerly accepted.

For Rob, the market’s history isn’t just about nostalgia, it’s about understanding how Leeds became the place it is today.

“When I was a kid, I thought it had been like that forever and it would be like that forever,” he said.

“But when you look into the history and heritage of anywhere, you soon realise there’s always change.”

He’s fascinated by how the market grew alongside the city, from its earliest days as a village trading spot to the sprawling complex we know today - one shaped by fire, industry, migration and resilience.

And he’s equally passionate about the present.

He said “All the people that work in there and those who are using it today are part of tomorrow’s history. It’s just a fascinating place.”

On his tours, Rob brings to life tales of the market that you won't find in any history book.

One of his favourites is the tale of a customer who once found a real pearl inside an oyster from Hayes Seafood.

“It was a Lindisfarne oyster. Someone found a pearl in their shell,” he said.

Another story comes from a woman whose relative was “a bit of a wrong’un” between the world wars.

He said: “He used to take money off people to weigh them on the scales, just to see whether they were the right size to get called up or not. And he also would go to the railway station, steal people’s luggage and then run back into the market and sell it.”

Not all the stories are mischievous, some are poignant, such as the memory of poet Tony Harrison, who wrote about a bookseller in the market who inspired him as a young man. A mural of Harrison now sits proudly inside.

Rob said: “It’s a wonderful place. One of the strengths of it is that it’s in this amazing city of Leeds, which has such a diverse community.”

Not everyone who joins his tours knows just how much is hidden inside the market.

One North Leeds woman hadn’t been inside for decades and was “gobsmacked” by the bustling stalls and the busy Market Kitchen.

But the biggest surprise is usually the same: “Going into Brian’s Barber’s Shop, the subterranean barber’s shop, which has been there since 1907,” Rob said.

And then there’s the balcony.

“I save that to the end because it’s the build-up. Everyone wants to go up there.”

Rob doesn’t just talk to people, he encourages them to become explorers. He used to run food tours too, but now he gives participants a challenge.

He said: “You don’t need me to do a food tour, you can do your own. Start with some oysters, move on to a main course, get some cheese, finish with a gelato. Spend a whole afternoon.”

There are still areas of history Rob wants to unearth, especially with a major anniversary on the horizon.

He said: “Next year is the 400th anniversary of a charter. I don’t know that much about it, but there’s going to be quite a few things going on. It’d be nice to know more about what it meant for the city.”

If there’s one thing Rob wants Leeds to understand, it’s that the market has never stood still.

He said: “It will always change. From the 1975 fire that destroyed two-thirds of the building to the new container-food village rising outside today, the market has always adapted to the city around it.

“A hundred years from now, I’d love to see what it’s like. Because it’s definitely changed in the last hundred years.”

So what keeps him doing it?

“Well, the council pays me to do it,” he joked, adding: “It’s like a breath of fresh air when you walk in there. It’s got its own sort of ecosystem - the smells, the sounds, the sights. It’s open for anyone. It’s a public space, a public asset.

“And anyone and everyone can go in there.”

The Yorkshire Evening Post teaming up with partners across the city -led by Leeds-based heritage consultancy Wafer Hadley - to help shape and develop a new heritage framework for Leeds.

And today we’re launching a special series of reports shining the spotlight on our city’s very own Heritage Heroes. We’re showcasing those people in the heart of our communities across the city who preserves, champions and inspires others to ensure each place’s story continues to be known, understood and cherished.

To nominate a group or individual to feature in this series email [email protected] to feature.

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