SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

The QH is 75 years old this year, and I've been sort of working with the hotel management gathering info and stories about the place, its history and most importantly some of the very famous guests staying there over the years. My ambition is to get a feature film screenplay written, spanning the decades and featuring 8 main stories interlinked by loads of smaller stories. As with virtually all my 'projects', the chances of a final 'product' being made go through highs & lows and that certainly is the case with the QH screenplay I'm overseeing.But the main point is, the screenplay is half written and I have managed to organize some great contrbutions from northern writers, a couple of them very well-known, and it's looking likely that I'll be helped in Leeds with getting a bit of media exposure and with luck consequent support from Leeds folk. I had the writers pretty well sorted out, a director and a producer, and it was all looking very promising. The main crux of stuff like this is getting the funding, and even that was looking good as the QH pretty much promised a bit of funding to help us get moving, but then they reneged and so it's back to minus square one really But anyway, the crux of this thread is that this project is very much a LEEDS project - or at least a Northern one with respect to the writers on board - and the aim is to invite contributions from anyone who has any stories, anecdotes etc on the QH and would like to share them with us. My genuine intention will be to weave such details into the main stories of the screenplay and naturally give credit to anyone who does in some way help. It IS all a pipedream, you own't hear me ever deny such things, but pipedreams do sometimes materialise and I would blooming well love it for this to all come off as I'm very proud of Leeds, they people and of course the Queens Hotel. And some of the stories I've got running are crackers, involving some VERY famous people. Also, I'm trying to incorporate a history of Leeds within the film's stories which all involve the QH. I would be delighted to chat with anyone on here about the project, there's no mysteries about me, I just don't want to give any impression I'm a taker or a user of people's good faith. I mentioned earlier that I joined this forum for good reasons and not just because I'm a nosy sod     

A cup from The Queens that someone got for me about 14-15 years ago. I had 2 but gave one to me mam.

I can say it's a pain if your a smoker, the windows are a nightmare to open too. They are double glazed these days which keeps the noisy drunks a little quieter. But if you open the windows town is incredibly noisy, I'm surprised at the amount of drunks and traffic still on the street at 5 o'clock on a Sunday morning         

My only story about the Queens is not very complimentary. I used to go mates with a gas fitter, who was on the commercial side. he was called to a job in the Queen's kitchen. He observed one of the chefs, when he couldn't find a lemon slice for some fish, remove a slice from the rubbish bin, wash it under the tap and put it on the fish. Who knows what goes on in hotel and restaurant kitchens. if we did we'd probably never eat out again!

I've spent all of my 60+ years in Leeds but have never been inside the Queens Hotel as I've never had a need to go in and it was not a place to simply pop into, at least when I was growing up. Mind you, I doubt I ever also went into Marshall & Snelgrove nor Mathias Robinson. All far too posh and probably even farther too expensive for my 'working class' background. I know my place!

Ha ha, The hotel has to spend millions of pounds, and a considerable amount of time upgrading it to a 5* star Hotel.Majorhoundii can knock it down to a lowly 2* star Hotel in seconds and for free too!

The bar area is open to the public, you can also buy tea or coffee in the bar so its worth a visit to look at some of the internal decor and architecture.

Phill_dvsn wrote: Ha ha, The hotel has to spend millions of pounds, and a considerable amount of time upgrading it to a 5* star Hotel.Majorhoundii can knock it down to a lowly 2* star Hotel in seconds and for free too! I suppose that's true, but it was some time ago.

In 1932 Laurel and Hardy stayed in The Queens Hotel for one night, 3 August. In the evening they made an appearance at the Majestic Picture Theatre.When Laurel & Hardy made their last appearance in Leeds - w/c 5 April 1954, they played the Empire, and stayed at the Queen's Hotel once again.I love Laurel and Hardy.

BillyBritvic wrote: In 1932 Laurel and Hardy stayed in The Queens Hotel for one night, 3 August. In the evening they made an appearance at the Majestic Picture Theatre.When Laurel & Hardy made their last appearance in Leeds - w/c 5 April 1954, they played the Empire, and stayed at the Queen's Hotel once again.I love Laurel and Hardy. I like Laurel and Hardy too, Stan Laurel was the real brains behind the duo writing many of the scripts.Here's a great 1956 home cine film and last ever footage of Laurel and Hardy ever shot together, in colour too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYAeYj8-G4w