In 1969 brothers Joe and Johnny Marsden opened Johnnys nightclub and over the years took over all the businesses in that Beast Market block so by 1984 had completed their final project by transforming the last part into The Huddersfield Hotel.
And then thoughts turned to who should open it.
Joe said: “As it was a hotel rather than an entertainment venue we shyed away from soap stars – we wanted respectability and got talking to Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman one evening. He said ‘what if I can get you Harold? I’ll see what I can do.’”
Harold agreed to do it – and all he wanted in return was a train ticket and a night in the hotel.
“It was quite a day,” said Joe. “It was the height of the miners strike so once the media knew Harold was in town they all came to cover the event to try to get comments about the strike.”
But for Harold it was more a trip down memory lane and a return to his Yorkshire roots. As the day went into the evening, the drinks flowed and he ditched the pipe and beer in favour of a King Edward’s cigar and Napoleon cognac.
And he also sang the Homfirth anthem Pratty Flowers with Colne Valley Male Voice Choir before taking to the stage with Johnny Marsden and Barry Sheerman for a rousing rendition of On Ilkley Moor Baht ‘at – all captured on camera.
Joe said: “While he was with us I never saw him take a drag of his pipe. I think he was media savvy before the term was invented. He was a lovely fella with some very interesting stories, especially of the time he worked with Churchill during the Second World War.
Harold stayed a couple more times at the hotel. One was for a school visit and the other Joe thinks was to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the trade unions in Huddersfield.
Johnny and Joe Marsen sold the entire complex in 2003 and now run the Central Lodge Hotel nearby.
