The White Rose Shopping Centre welcomed shoppers for the first time on March 25, 1997. Work has started close on two years earlier - on July 10, 1995 - and took 87 weeks to complete at a cost of £64 million. Around 1.3 million bricks were used during construction. If placed end to end, these would cover 2,020 miles - the same distance from Morley to Tenerife. These photos, plucked the YEP archive, take you inside the Centre ahead of opening as well as showcasing the crowds on the big day and celebrities who visited during its first year. READ MORE: Unseen photos chart of a golden age of Leeds pub culture LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook YEP WHATSAPP: Sign up to the Yorkshire Evening Post’s new WhatsApp channel for breaking news in Leeds
13. White Rose Centre
Queen lookalike Elizabeth Richard turned the heads of shoppers in April 1997. | Mel Hulme Photo: Mel Hulme
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Twins and triplets club members with their parents. | YPN Photo: YPN
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Sisters Jennie, 8, and Faye, 5, Cropley meets Emmerdale actress Malandra Burrows when she opened Etam in June 1997. | Roy Fox Photo: Roy Fox
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Yogi bear and Booboo were entertaining shoppers with their usual pranks and handing out goodies in June 1997. | James Hardisty Photo: James Hardisty
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Debenham's personal shopper, Paula Lyness, right, dresses Paula Dixon in July 1997. | Dan Oxtoby Photo: Dan Oxtoby
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The sweet smell of success. RL stars Robbie Paul and Tahi Reihana sample a Calvin Klein product at Debenhams in August 1997. | Bruce Greer Photo: Bruce Greer