IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
The Poplars, LEEDS, LS6 2AT

Facade view of a currently disused and somewhat neglected looking Elinor Lupton Centre on the A660 Headingley Road to the east of Richmond Road. Designed by Leeds architect William Peel Schofield, and built in 1914 in Neo Grecian style, it was originally a Sunday School. Now a Grade II listed building, it acquired its current name in 1986.

The building known as the Elinor Lupton Centre is one of the buildings on the now vacant site of a former girls high school. The building is currently unoccupied. The Leeds Civic Trust website has more background on the buildings history: http://leedscivictrust.org.uk/?idno=1183

This is now a Wetherspoon pub, opened in 2021. It was originally a Christian Science church built in 1912, architect William Peel Schofield. It is rather more ornate than their usual 'reading rooms'. Later it became the Elinor Lupton Centre (theatre) of Leeds Girls' High School, but some years ago they joined with the boys' grammar school and moved out of the city. By 2015 Image it was becoming derelict, so the new use is welcome. The pub is named after a famous painting by a local artist. Listed grade II (list entry 1255938); the listing has been updated to reflect its current use.

The Elinor Lupton Centre is a grade 2 listed building located on the summit of a hill at the junction of Headingley Lane and Richmond Road to the west of the main Leeds Girls High School Site. The school purchased the building for £230,000 in 1986. That was when it acquired its current name and current use as a theatre and music rooms. The centre was built in the Neo-Grec style and is clad in Portland stone. It has three floors including a basement. The main entrance to the building from Headingley Lane opens into a foyer which affords access to a theatre auditorium. To either side of the entrance to the auditorium are hung two paintings showing stylishly dressed worshippers outside the building when it was still a church. The building’s design is the result of a nationwide competition which was won by William Peel Schofield of the Leeds firm of architects Schofield and Berry. The Sunday School was built first and the first service was held in it in October 1914. The outbreak of the First World War delayed the start of construction of the church itself, and services therefore continued in the new Sunday School. Then in 1923, tenders were invited for the erection of the auditorium, and this part of the building was finished in December 1925. Towards the end of 1932 it was decided to complete the building and in October 1934, work was finally finished. The total cost of the church was over £38,000.