On 29th March 2025, we celebrated the restoration of the Bear Pit with a Grand Opening event.
A crowd gathered in front of the restored Bear Pit on a sunny spring day, preparing to be addressed by a consortium of speakers peering over the front elevation of the building.
We heard from MP for the area Alex Sobel, who drew comparisons between the Headingley Bear Pit and the Sheffield Bear Pit. Along with Alex Sobel, local councillor Abdul Hannan discussed the importance of green community space. Leeds historian and previous Director of Leeds Civic Trust Dr. Kevin Grady gave a brief overview of
the Leeds Zoological and Botanical gardens and explained the multitude of Bear Pit projects and schemes that have never quite succeeded over Leeds Civic Trust’s 60 year ownership of the building. Leeds Civic Trust volunteers, Richard Voss and Graham Castle, discussed how they had worked with architects and builders to complete the renovation.
The event was also a send off for outgoing Head of Conservation at Leeds City Council, Phil Ward, whose tenure at the Council was to come to an end two days after the Grand Opening. We used the opportunity to thank Phil for all his work over the years and present him with a framed plan of Sovereign Square by civic architect John Thorpe as a parting gift.
After the speeches, our esteemed guests filed down to a new information board in front of the Bear Pit, which was unveiled by Alex Sobel MP and Cllr Abdul Hannan. We then turned to the main event! Richard Voss and Graham Castle cut the ribbon tied over the front gates and, to rounds of gleeful applause, officially opened the Bear Pit.
Guests were then welcome to roam around the site. Our Events Committee volunteer Roderic Parker handed out packets of wildflower seeds for guests to throw around the sloping area at the back left of the site. The sloped grass at the back right of the site will be used by Left Bank Leeds’ volunteer gardening group to plant a pumpkin patch. Our volunteer and Bear Pit expert Graham Castle gave two sold out talks in the pit about the Trust’s work restoring the structure.
After the excitement of the Grand Opening had subsided, guests milled their way down to Left Bank Leeds to participate in our consultation. We’re asking you, what should we do with the Bear Pit? Click here to fill in our online consultation.
Left Bank also put on a host of bear themed crafts for families. Children made bear masks, bear bookmarks and bear cards. Moreover, to celebrate the newly restored Bear Pit, our friends at Hyde Park Picture House hosted a special self-led bear hunt around the Picture House before a packed screening of Paddington in Peru. Our Director Martin Hamilton gave a family friendly introduction to the Bear Pit before the film started.
Thank you to all who came to celebrate the restoration of the Bear Pit with us. Please do take two minutes to fill in our simple consultation form to help us shape ideas on how to use the Bear Pit:
MORE INFORMATION
- Click here to read more about the history of the Bear Pit.
- Updated Bear Pit article on HeadingleyLeeds.com
- Janet Douglas’ history of the Leeds Zoological and Botanical Gardens
