A cow shed in Leeds is being transformed into a brand new café bar, indoor play area, and a shop.
The Temple Newsam spot was built hundreds of years ago and used as a milking parlour to provide clean tuberculin-tested milk to hospitals in Leeds. The building and production systems were state of the art and by the 1940s Shorthorn cows were producing over 70,000 gallons of milk each year.
The council ceased dairy farming in 1968 and after that time the building had various other uses including being a vehicle depot for the council’s parks department and even being home to West Yorkshire Police’s stables in the 1970’s. Over time multiple alterations were made to the building and urgent repairs were conducted to the original fixtures and fittings.
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After fulfilling its role as a milking parlour, stables, and vehicle depot, the cow shed is now going to be 'the Playbarn'. The new development is set to open in autumn of this year.
It will include two play areas - one in the original milk parlour - suitable for children up to age 12 and a second area for toddlers, which will be situated in a purpose built extension to the rear yard. Both areas will take inspiration from the farm and the park bringing the great outdoors inside.
What's more, there will also be a comfy café offering drinks and light meals and a shop. The idea behind the development is so that people can visit the historic spot day in and day out for many more years.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for public health and active lifestyles said: "I am so pleased to see that this fascinating old building will be given a new lease of life offering families a place to come along and enjoy for many years to come.
"Creating more indoor space for people to enjoy at Home Farm was a key finding from a public consultation we did last year so we are excited to move this project forward and deliver on this commitment. I am looking forward to following the progress of this project and to visiting in autumn once the scheme is complete."
