00:00A historic site in Wakefield City Centre, once home to a zoo and botanical gardens,
00:06could soon have a new owner. Wakefield Council says it's assessing bids for the Lodge and Milne's
00:11Orangery on Back Lane, which have stood empty for more than a decade. The Grade 2 star-listed
00:17buildings date back to around 1800, when the Orangery formed part of a wealthy cloth manufacturer's
00:24garden. The site later became a zoological garden, complete with a bear pit.
00:29Historical accounts tell of a dancing bear that escaped and fatally mauled its keeper's wife.
00:34The council put the 0.7 acre site up for sale in July, with offers sought around £250,000.
