SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Quote from booklet. . "This intriguing sculptural shape nearing completion is known in architectural terms as a "dinosaur".It is a fun feature for the children who will be able to play happily and in perfect safety while their parents shop.This will be the delightful "Centre of the Centre",landscaped with trees and with a fountain playing in its decorative pool."    

Seacroft town centre

dinosaur photo

I always thought dinosaur was just the name us kids called it, didnt realise it was its official title! We used to slide down it on flattened cardboard boxes that we had helped ourselves to, from the designated cardboard box area in the entrance to Liptons/Savemore.

DEE wrote: I always thought dinosaur was just the name us kids called it, didnt realise it was its official title! We used to slide down it on flattened cardboard boxes that we had helped ourselves to, from the designated cardboard box area in the entrance to Liptons/Savemore. Yes I thought that too.I have made a mess of uploading but hope peeps will like them.

Seacroft Town Centre booklet

Seacroft Town Centre

The Dinosaur

I'd forgotten about the Dinosaur! I was always too small to climb up it. We would walk across and back every Saturday from the Barncrofts up to Monkswood and over to the centre. I first saw neon fish at the pet shop there and thought they were amazing. Was there ever a Freeman, Hardy and Willis shoe shop there up in the top corner near the pub? If we were good, we could spend our pocket money at Patels - how good was that shop! I always ended up buying exactly the same as my brother so the foam printed planes in the paper packets with the plastic propeller that always fell off. When I grew up a bit and realised girls could buy much better things than toy planes I moved onto Romarts which was more 'sophisticated' - ahem....When I was older still we played on the bandstand area with Crossgates Youth Band - how drafty was that top floor and how mysterious with the missing and re-appearing steps and rails! Another 'celebrity' who visited the place was Richard Whiteley. He was handing out prizes in the late 70's and my brother was a winner, probably a Leeds Weekly/Skyrack competition no doubt....

Yes the shoe shop in the top floor corner was Freeman Hardy Willis, (not stylo as I fIrst thought).