[4] The Central Market hall, built alongside Duncan Street, was surrounded on three sides by shops that were mainly rented to butchers and fishmongers.

Inside the hall, stalls were erected for the sale of fruit, vegetables, and dairy produce, with the balcony being used for selling fancy goods.

[6] The Corn Exchange and First and Third White Cloth Halls were all situated in close proximity, creating a market area in the city centre.

The Third White Cloth Hall moved to Queen Street in 1865, ending this concentrated area of market trading.

In 2012 Marks and Spencer returned to Kirkgate Market, opening a stall alongside the centenary clock.

In 1904, Marks & Spencer relocated its Leeds branch to the then recently opened Cross Arcade (now part of the Victoria Quarter).

In 2009, over 60,000 historic artefacts concerning Marks & Spencer were relocated from London to the Centenary Gallery in the Parkinson Building at the University of Leeds.

A prize of £150 was set for the winner, which (following allegations of corruption in the competition) was awarded to Joseph and John Leeming of London.

Despite misgivings about the award of the design, the plans went ahead and the corporation budgeted £80,000 for building the new hall.

[1] Further controversy was generated when, in May 1901, many traders within the markets were given one week's notice to vacate their stalls so that work on the new hall could commence.

A ceremony in July of that year conducted by Mr G. W. Balfour, MP for Leeds Central and President of the Board of Trade, marked the new hall's opening.

[6] Despite the Second World War bringing problems such as conscription and air-raids (although the latter became a rare occurrence in Leeds) the markets continued to trade, albeit on a smaller scale.

To relieve this problem, the council bought a site off Pontefract Lane in Cross Green to accommodate a new wholesale market.

Traders who had lost their stalls were accommodated in other parts of the city centre until replacement halls were built at the Kirkgate site.

Following the destruction of most of the market hall in the fire of 1975, significant rebuilding works had to take place in order to re-accommodate displaced traders.

In 1986 a proposal was put forward by Leeds City Council with Dutch developers MAB(UK) and Norwich Union as major investors.

The plans proved unpopular with the local population and were opposed by the Market Traders' Association and Leeds Civic Trust.

The plans were formally dropped in 1990, leaving the council again with the dilemma of what to do with the increasingly dilapidated market halls[6] Following the cancellation of the 1986 proposals, a new solution was sought.

Leeds City Council, again with Norwich Union as investors, proposed a more modest refurbishment plan which was soon formally approved.

The roof, which had fallen into significant disrepair was repaired and the internal stonework was refurbished in keeping with the original Victorian style of the hall.

[1] The exterior of the hall is ornately decorated in a Flemish/Art Nouveau style and provides the main entrances to the complex.

The front is lined with shops facing Vicar Lane, while the upper floors which run in a 'U' shape along the northern, southern and western sides, contain private offices.

Towards the bottom end it is mostly occupied by greengrocers, however the other rows include many stalls selling electrical goods, computers and clothing.