HIDDEN TREASURE
Inside secret glamorous ‘smoking cafe’ hidden away for nearly 100 years with incredible mosaic floors…& it’s tragic past
Check out where to visit the iconic remains
A SECRET cafe hidden away for nearly 100 years has finally been unearthed - and it has a tragic past.
The remains of the century-old shop have been found buried in a basement in Hull, Yorkshire.
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The long-lost Ye Mecca smoking cafe was originally built over 80 years ago in the current Prudential Insurance building.
The cafe was part of a chain of over 40 cafes across the nation - which offered a space for smoking, entertainment and coffee.
But what was once a thriving hub of activity was later demolished to the ground during the Second World War.
The iconic building, famous for its tower, was destroyed in 1941 by a parachute mine during a Nazi bombing raid - causing sixteen deaths.
The site was then cleared out of the debris and covered - leaving behind a plaque honouring the former tower.
In 2016, experts from the 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 basement but didn't realise there was a café down there until we came across the name on the mosaic floor.
"It brings a whole new dimension to the story about the Prudential because it is very likely the people who were killed there were actually taking shelter in the cafe."
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Experts preserved the mosaic - which still lies under the square - with a special protective layer.
Mr Steedman added: "We have recorded as much information as we can but the best way of preserving it is to leave it where it is for someone else to discover it all over again in the future."
All the remnants of the former cafe were recovered - including the tilework and delicate artefacts.
Partnership's finds manager Lisa Wastling said: "The items have only been given a delicate clean because the ash and brick dust on them forms part of the story.
"There are even tiny fragments of glass fused onto some of the metal signs which presumably happened when they were red hot.
"Because it was such a landmark building, the bombing of the Prudential is an important piece of Hull's history and now we have something tangible to see from that event."
The excavation also uncovered a curved flight of steps from the iconic tower and various objects - including burnt brass and twisted door handles.
The mouldings were produced at the Burmantofts potteries in Leeds.
And the hallmark of buildings was designed by Waterhouse.
A selection of the historical items is currently on display in Hull museums.
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It comes as an incredible map revealed a hidden treasure around the world from pirate booty to lost city that could make you a millionaire.
Treasure hunting expert, Julian Evan-Hart, from Essex, told The Sun why explorers have been so captivated by lost riches.
The world's most famous lost treasures
A DREAM find for one treasure hunter saw him come away thousands of pounds richer after flogging the Roman loot.
The metal detectorist, who has not been named, discovered buried ancient Roman coins in a Norfolk field in 2020 in a once-in-a-lifetime find.
He has now sold the first 73 coins in his find at auction for £15,285 after he discovered 432 of the ancient coins.
One of the coins sold for £3,400 alone as it was issued by a famous emperor.
He stumbled upon the silver coins in a field in Colkirk, Norfolk, in February 2020.
The man found 40 coins and then returned the next day and found 40 more.
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