Temple Works, a former flax mill in Leeds, has been listed for sale, in the Pugh auction on December 7th, with a starting price of just one pound according to the Yorkshire Evening Post. The Egyptian-influenced industrial building is one of the city's oldest and most cherished, and is the only Grade I listing in Holbeck. 

Completed in 1840, the building that once boasted one of the largest rooms in the world has since reached a parlous state. Last used commercially in 2004 by Kays Catalogues, the property was inherited by the Barclay family who own the Telegraph media group and are accused of leaving the building to rot. 

In 2008, one of the site's 18 lotus pillars collapsed, bringing down a section of the beautifully ornate wall as well. Along with some broken stonework and other damage, the 10,948 square-meter mill has subsequently been featured among the Victorian Society’s '10 most endangered buildings' and the site's condition has been listed as 'very bad' by the English Heritage.

The Fashion brand Burberry had been given the first option to develop the building and nearby land back in 2014; however, amid Brexit uncertainty and renovation costs estimated at upwards of £20m, the company put the project on hold, eventually pulling out of the deal and letting the option lapse. 

Now, with a starting bid of £1, the property will be auctioned early next month with no reserve, meaning the historic property will be sold to the highest bidder regardless of price. Heritage campaigners as well as the Leeds city council are disappointed in the owners decision to auction the property, fearing that the low price might lead to a naive investor without the resources to fully take on a project of this scope.