Think you know City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds? Wait until you meet the ghosts still performing after dark…
Just off the Headrow, down a narrow street most people rush past without a glance, sits a theatre that refuses to die — even if some of its audience already have.
City Varieties Music Hall, in Swan Street LS1 6LW, is Leeds’ oldest working theatre. And it’s a living relic of Victorian excess, echoing with the cheers of long-dead crowds and the footsteps of those who never quite left.
For over 150 years, legends of stage and screen have strutted its boards. But behind the laughter, beyond the red velvet seats and the flickering footlights, something unseen stirs in the shadows.
Besides being a place for music and mirth, it’s a magnet for mystery. A gilded haunt where the past performs nightly, whether we see it or not.
Built in 1865 atop the original White Swan Coaching Inn, the City Varieties began life as Thornton’s New Music Hall and Fashionable Lounge. It was a proper northern night out: beer in hand, heckling encouraged, and supper served alongside saucy songs and slapstick turns.
Through the decades, it welcomed some of the biggest names in showbiz – Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, George Formby, and even royalty incognito. Then came the golden age of The Good Old Days, the BBC’s nostalgic nod to music hall merriment. With host Leonard Sachs at the helm, the show ran for 30 years, filmed right here, and made City Varieties a household name.
But while audiences packed in to laugh and cheer, not everyone who roamed the theatre did so in the flesh.
Hauntings of the City Varieties in Leeds
Ask any long-time staff member, performer, or even some punters, and you’ll hear the same thing: This theatre is haunted.
And not just by one friendly phantom – this is a full ensemble cast.
The Red-Haired Woman
During live performances, a striking woman with long red hair is said to appear in the upper balconies, quietly watching the stage. No one knows who she is, but some say her presence brings good fortune to the cast. She never speaks. She never returns a gaze. She simply… watches.
The White Lady
The theatre’s most enduring ghost is believed to be a Victorian singer who once graced the stage. Clad in a crinoline dress, she appears to performers before the curtain rises. In one chilling case, a TV producer locked in overnight awoke in the icy silence of the Dress Circle bar. Standing over him was a silent woman in white. She vanished before he could even scream.
Phantom Patrons
There are tales of a man in a bowler hat sitting beside the piano, disembodied legs climbing the stairs, and a gentleman in a WWI trench coat wandering backstage. And let’s not forget the typical poltergeist fare—slamming doors, cold spots, invisible touches, and the unmistakable feeling that someone is breathing just over your shoulder.
The Musical Mystery
After the major refurbishment in 2011, paranormal activity seemed to spike. Staff report the piano playing itself late into the night, long after the final bow. Knockings echo from the bar. Paintings are said to warp and twist during ghostly encounters, the painted faces appearing anxious—almost alive.
The Green Room Incident
One particularly unnerving event occurred in 2001 during a Good Old Days performance. A performer was allegedly pushed down a staircase.
A witness saw it happen, but swore no one else was nearby. That same night, a sewing machine in the Green Room began whirring of its own accord.
Spirits of Stage and Screen
For all its hauntings, City Varieties is still very much alive. Every year, it hosts the Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto, stand-up comedy legends, and musical talent from across the globe.
But for those in Leeds, it’s more than just a venue – it’s a time capsule of working-class joy and theatrical spirit (and spirits of a more chilling kind).
Next time you visit, pause in the Dress Circle bar, or glance up at the galleries during a show. You might just spot the lady in white… or red.
And if you feel a sudden chill or hear a piano playing softly after the lights have gone out—well, welcome to the show after the show.
For more information on City Varieties Music Hall visit leedsheritagetheatres.com
Have you seen a ghost in Leeds or somewhere else in West Yorkshire? Tell us in the comments section below!
