I wouldn't put it past Ossett Breweries to step in; they seem to be taking over the world at the moment and if there's a chance that a mini regeneration could be kickstarted due to the train station makeover, they might well see an opportunity.

It would be good to see a properly restored Wakefield Arms, full of commuters and perhaps a smattering of pale and interesting arty types, over from the Hepworth for a goats cheese and rocket bruschetta and a half of real ale.

Good link to a video showing the ABC cinema at the bottom of that other link as well.

The costs to do these places up must be horrendous, to the point where its got to be cheaper to knock it down and start again, listed or not.

not sure it it is that premise but I seem to think that was the pub where Portland cement was invented. I think there is a blue plaque on the wall. Perhaps why its listed.

I saw that on Youtube - looks like a bloke broke in with a camera, then made a film juxtaposing what it used to look like with what it looks like now; quite sad actually - I had my formative cinema experiences there and only realised later what an impact it had made on me. You just don't get the same at Cineworld, when you're eating your 5000% marked-up popcorn and having your brains melted by surround sound.

i've never really seen the need for wakey to have two stations in this day and age.

They're on different sides of the city and service different lines?

A little off the thread topic but it's gone this way so, for those interested in nostalgia.

The Wakefield Arms was the first building in the world built with portland cement hence it's listed status.It was also the home of the legendary Kalahari Bushmen and was a great night out.

Tony Costello was the long time landlord I believe, if I've got my memory in order he was a superb host and the pub was never the same after he'd gone!

Nowt wrong with your memory mate.

the problem with the wakefield arms was that the last landlord, couldnt make it pay. The overheads were too much. He'd ran several pubs over in cas/normanton and made them work however this pub was a place where very few people went, he tried various ways to get people thru the door. But in the end he was losing money so moved on and no other landlord was found so like so many of the pubs in wakefield it closed never to reopen.

Ordinary Portland Cement was developed by a bricklayer from Leeds called Joseph Aspdin and patented in 1824. His works where OPC was first produced was in Kirkgate, Wakefield so it would not have far to travel from the works to the Wakefield Arms.