The Merrion Centre was a first for Leeds - the city's first shopping and leisure centre. It cost £6 million to build and was the property of Town Centre Securities Ltd. It was opened in May 1964 by Marjorie Ziff, wife of the chairman Arnold Ziff. She opened a case with a golden key, containing a cake modelled on the shopping centre. The completed first stage included a cinema, ballroom, bowling alley and shops. These photos chart the rise of the Merrion Centre, its opening and beyond to the end of the 1960s. The images are a mix from the YEP archive, West Yorkshire Archive Service and others published courtesy of photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service. READ MORE: Watch - Secrets of Leeds Queens Hotel revealed including hidden tunnel LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook YEP RETRO NEWSLETTER: Sign up for our free monthly email digest of Leeds nostalgia
13. Merrion Centre
Wade Lane showing the Merrion Centre multi-storey car park in June 1966. To the right is the entrance to the Merrion Centre. | Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
14. Merrion Centre
The Merrion Centre pictured from the junction of St. Anne street and Woodhouse Lane in November 1966. | YPN Photo: YPN
15. Merrion Centre
Leeds Town Crier Alan Holliday outside the Merrion Centre in April 1967. He was employed by the Merrion Centre and had to shout out every hour snippets of local and national news and shopping information. In the background the shopping centre can be seen before the roof was added over the pedestrian area. | West Yorkshire Archive Service Photo: West Yorkshire Archive Service
16. Merrion Centre
The control room of Radio Leeds in the Merrion Centre studio in June 1968. The man in the hot seat is Allan Shaw, normally news editor, but on this occasion bravely facing the public and coming to terms with the Vagabond King. | YPN Photo: YPN
17. Merrion Centre
The Merrion Centre complex as seen across the roof of the Technical Colleges 0on Woodhouse Lane in 1968. | YPN Photo: YPN
