Inside a secret, glamorous ‘smoking cafe’ hidden for almost 100 years with incredible mosaic floors… and its tragic past

A SECRET cafe hidden for almost 100 years has finally been unearthed – and it has a tragic past.

The remains of the century-old store were found buried in a cellar HullYorkshire.

3

3

The long-lost Ye Mecca smoking café was originally built over 80 years ago in what is now Prudential Insurance building.

The café was part of a chain of more than 40 cafés spread across the country that offered space smokingentertainment and coffee.

But what was once a thriving activity center was later razed during World War II.

The iconic building, famous for its tower, was destroyed by a parachute mine during a Nazi bombing in 1941, killing sixteen people.

The site was then removed from the rubble and covered, leaving a plaque in honor of the former tower.

In 2016, experts from Humber Archaeology Partnership and volunteers from the Hull People’s Memorial found the site.

Project manager Ken Steedman said at the time: “We obviously knew about the cellar, but didn’t realize there was a cafe down there until we came across the name on the mosaic floor.

“It adds a whole new dimension to the Prudential story because it is very likely that the people who were murdered there actually took refuge in the cafe.”

Experts have preserved the mosaic – which is still underneath the square – with a special protective layer.

Mr Steedman added: “We have captured as much information as possible, but the best way to preserve it is to leave it where it is so that someone else can discover it all over again in the database. future.”

All remains of the former café were recovered, including the tilework and delicate artefacts.

Partnership’s finds manager Lisa Wastling said: “The items have only received a delicate clean as the ash and stone dust on them are part of the story.

“There have even been small pieces of glass fused onto some of the metal signs, which is believed to have happened when they were red hot.

‘Because it was such a Grade II listed building, the bombing of the Prudential is an important part of Hull history and now we have something tangible to see of that event.”

The excavation also revealed a curved flight steps of the iconic tower and various objects – including burnt copper and turned door handles.

The moldings were produced at the Burmantofts potteries in Leeds.

And the feature of buildings was designed by Waterhouse.

A selection of the historic artefacts are currently on display in Hull’s museums.

It comes as an incredible map revealed a hidden treasure all over the world, from pirate loot to a lost city that can make you a millionaire.

Treasure hunting expert Julian Evan-Hart from Essex told The Sun why explorers are so fascinated by lost riches.

The most famous lost treasures in the world

A DREAM find for a treasure hunter left him walking away thousands of pounds richer after scourging Roman loot.

The metal detectoristwhose name has not been given, was found buried ancient Roman coins in a field in Norfolk in 2020 during a unique find.

It has now been sold the first 73 coins in his find at auction for £15,285, after discovering 432 of the coins old coins.

One of the coins which sold for £3,400 alone was issued by a famous emperor.

He came across the silver coins in a field in Colkirk, Norfolk, in February 2020.

The man found 40 coins and came back the next day and found another 40.

3