Shortly after opening, industrial engineer and inventor of the modern steam engine, James Watt hired a room within the pub for around 3 months from where he could spy on Matthew Murray and steal trade secrets by getting Murray's workers drunk! In the 1980s The Cross Keys closed and was left to rot. A mere shell come the 21st century, when we discovered it the pub was being used by a local garage to store tyres! An extensive refit was required and with much love we rebuilt it from within to breathe life back into an historical landmark from the peak of Leeds’ industrial past.