The Old Seacroft Shopping Centre

[chameleon]

DEE wrote: Here is a list of the shops I remember when visiting Seacroft Shopping Centre; starting at the top end on the outside there was the skyliner chip shop, the job centre, the post office, down a few steps to TSB bank and then an off licence and then Fourboys newsagents, a dentist,a doctors, a bookies. Top flooor of the centre itself on the right was a hairdressers which I think was Gloria Gee's (same lady who had a clothes shop in Crossgates Arndale), Burrows fruit and Veg which became a wallpaper shop and then Jack Fultons, a grocery shop, Mc Colls newsagents, Thurstons bakers, a shop that sold fancy goods/toiletries/household stuff, YEB and Romarts. On the left was Craggs Cobblers, Broms clothing (closed on Saturdays owing to Jewish faith of owner), Farm stores, A fishmongers, A pet shop, a TV shop. a shoe shop (possibly Stylo). Downsatirs left side was Man for all seasons, a chemist (later taken over by COOP chemist, Woolworths later to become COOP, Sovereign pub. turn left and a womans clothing shop by Gloria Gee(again), knobs and Knockers DIY, A carpet shop, a cafe I think called the Derrisford, then over to the sports shop that became Canny Man, then a card and record shop, a discount toiletries shop, a butchers, Bonnie and Dots bakery which became Malcolms, a fruit and veg shop, a childrens clothing and lingerie shop which became Halfords and then Patels. turn left towards the market and there was a DIY shop, a frozen food shop, Ali's clothing shop, Dewhirsts butchers. go past the market and then you had Wimpy, The Gas board shop a jewellers and then Liptons supermarket which used to be Savemore but i think was originally Liptons, hence the later namechange back to the original. Outside at the Queens flats end was Lockwoods tobacconist/sweetshop,a hairdressers,Sandroy fancy dress,a launderette,a solicitors and a bookies.Thats all I remember and some of these may have had other shops in between which I have forgotten about. Together with the TSB, all the major banks of the time had a presence with an office (quite a new thing at the time) of Access the credit card people - and don't forget the FRiday /Saturday market, originally outside in the carpark later, moving indoors.

[raveydavey]

The off licence on the 'top' of the Centre (North Parkway) was Cellar 5, but went through probably a dozen name changes before the centre was finally demolished.Hard to believe nowadays but Lockwoods was one of only a handful of places in the whole of Seacroft open on a Sunday. The only other places nearby were the shop on the Green and the end shop at Blacks (Kentmere Avenue). Strange to think back not that long ago that virtually the whole place used to shut up shop at 5pm on a Friday and that was it until 8.30 Monday morning.Fourboys (or was it Forbouys?) was open Sunday morning for the papers, the offy was open evenings only (until 10pm I think) and the Skyliner chippy also shut up shop about 10-ish on Saturday night.Yet we all survived, nobody died and the sky didn't fall in just because the shops were shut for a day. Goodness knows how we coped on Bank Holiday weekends!Looking at that list of shops makes me wonder how we'd cope nowadays if we still lived like that. I can remember in the school holidays being begrudgingly taken to the shops - first to the Post Office to get the family allowance, then to the bank to get some money out (queue at the counter, no cash machine outside). Then to the rent office to pay the weeks rent, the YEB to pay the leccy, the Gas showroom to pay the gas bill (quarterly bills, which you were expected to save up for and pay in person), then the individual shops if they were cheaper than the Co-op of Liptons. I can recall going to different greengrocers for specific items rather than just getting them all in one place. Same with the butchers.A full morning doing things that are either arranged automatically, or done in seconds over the phone or with the click of a mouse.

[DEE]

Yes you did get the right spelling, it was spelt forbouys. The thing that strikes me from the list is how much choice we had in those days. nowadays we do save a lot of time but shops can be so bland as everytown has the same chains of shops,supermarkets,pubs,cinemas etc, all organised and decorated in the same uniform manner no matter which town you are in. Seacroft shopping centre had lots of individuality and a fantastic variety of shops. The internet is great in obtaining whatever you need quickly and effortlessly but unless you have been to a shop and seen an item beforehand you cant actually really tell what you have paid for until it arrives, you also cant try it on if it is a clothing item plus it can get lost in the post, so in some ways we have less control and less social interaction than the old days. Look how everyone on this forum is happily discussing memories of the shopping centre,( there is not much to discuss on mail order from your own home). It would be nice to have a lifestyle that fits somewhere between the slow old days and the slightly characterless modern ones.

[chameleon]

'Looking at that list of shops makes me wonder how we'd cope nowadays if we still lived like that.'We would have more freedom competition and more choice rather than the large guys dictating what we will buy from what they choose only to sell!

[keyholekate]

I have a booklet called " The Seacroft Town Centre- a unique development by Leeds City Council".Its got lots of info and a big pull out map and various photos of the centre during building. will add some photos if I can work out how.

[keyholekate]

Seacroft Centre

[keyholekate]

It took me ages to upload that photo! I dont think AOL and secret leeds go together so eventually got somewhere using Internet Explorer.Anyhow. . .heres another photo.

[keyholekate]

Some Info from my booklet.

[keyholekate]

Sorry. . Im really not good at this ,maybe I can perfect the art of getting photos on.

[keyholekate]

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