Heritage Open Days had “low impact” on Corn Exchange businesses

Some businesses in the Corn Exchange say Leeds Heritage Open Days had a “minimal affect” on visitor numbers.

The 19th century building was one of 300 sites involved in the festival which took place between the 12th September and the 21st September.

The national theme of this years Heritage Days was architecture and heritage sites opened their doors to the public for free.

Due to the focus on architecture, Leeds Corn Exchange showcased the 2025 Leeds Architecture Awards shortlist. Visitors were also given then opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Award by nominating their favorite building constructed in the last 60 years.

Despite the festival focusing on historical architecture a visitor from Scarborough was disappointing by the lack of information about the Corn Exchange itself.

Bianca from Studio Dawn located in Leeds Corn Exchange said “One of the things I love about Leeds and working in the Corn Exchange is the beautiful architecture” but that the exhibitions and tours that take place within the Corn Exchange has not had much of an impact on the business.

A common theme among workers within the Corn Exchange was that whilst they knew it was going on, details were sparse and they didn’t know where to find information.

Jess Bowers from Fabulous Planning reiterated the lack of impact on her business and said she “didn’t know what it is and I haven’t seen it advertised” although would be interested in taking her family if she had known more about it.

Heritage Open Days claims to be England’s largest festival of history and culture and has ran for over 30 years with more than 5,000 events across the country, making this year the biggest programme in the festivals history, but Bianca said the lack of publicity was an issue.

The festival is supported by Leeds Civic Trust. As part of the Heritage Open Days, Leeds Civic Trust unveiled their 204th blue plaque at The Old Fire Station, Gipton.

It was once one of the busiest operational fire stations in the country and crews helped fight fires throughout the Second World War. After its closure in 2015, the building was repurposed into a community hub with a year-round programme of activities for the locals.

Last years Open Days were inspired by a Routes-Networks-Connections theme and 82% of visitors said visiting made them feel proud of their local area according to Heritage Open Days.

Sculptor and part owner of The Sculpture Gallery, David Iredale said “the Open Days are wonderful, they get people out to different places and areas they wouldn’t normally see”.

Source: Emma Haresign | All Rights Reserved

Iredale stressed the importance of events like Heritage Open Days and the Architecture Awards saying “the events helps keep the architecture in peoples minds, which helps save it for future generations.”

The Sculpture gallery is a hub for Heritage Open Day events such as the Art in Arcadia self-guided tour.

Workers like Bianca have called for more publication and more interactive events to engage with a wider audience next year, as the current set up felt too “formal”.