The Old Seacroft Shopping Centre

[electricaldave]

I remember when they opened the place, the Queen came to do the deed with the scissors.It was a big event for Leeds, folk came from miles around to stand at the side of the road and wave their flags.The reason I remeber it was that I lived over at Tinshill, and getting to Seacroft was quite a trip.I had been naughty the previous day and as a punishment I wasn't allowed to go see the Queen, but whatever it was I did, it wasn't important enough for me to remember.What I do remember is being quite delighted at not having to go, I didn't know why anyone would want to go see the Queen.All the other kids around had to get dressed up in their best clothes and make sure they were military parade style clean and neat.It was such a hassle for them all, mums fluttering around like bad tempered hens overseeing their broods - I was sooooo glad I was out of it.Anyways, off they all went, and they had to get away early, it was a horribly dull foggy cold day, October or November I think.I was stuck at home and got to stay in all day and watch the tv - which was a huge privelidge back then, normally we would all be kicked out the house in the morning and told not to come back until dinnertime - despite the fact that not one of us owned a watch.So, there I was, warm and toasty, watching some weepy black and white movie on the box, and the wanderers returned, around 3 in the afternoon, all of them were freezing cold, and damp.They were also pretty hacked off, Her Majesty must have been on a tight schedule, as her car drive past too quick for most of them to see her, and they had stood there for a couple of hours waiting.I think one of them saw what might have been the Royal gloved hand.I don't think my schadenfreud could have been any greater.How I wished that HRH had been giving it the middle finger on that velvet glove as the entourage swept past.

[liits]

Two of my neighbours had a stall in the market at Seacroft, they sold buttons, ribbons etc. One of my older brothers had a Saturday job at the Co-op in the late 60's, I can remember being taken to meet him from work and playing on the two [possibly three] brick humps, like a semi-submerged Loch Ness monster type thing which was in the covered square. It was a bit grim even then.

[chameleon]

electricaldave wrote: I remember when they opened the place, the Queen came to do the deed with the scissors.It was a big event for Leeds, folk came from miles around to stand at the side of the road and wave their flags.The reason I remeber it was that I lived over at Tinshill, and getting to Seacroft was quite a trip.I had been naughty the previous day and as a punishment I wasn't allowed to go see the Queen, but whatever it was I did, it wasn't important enough for me to remember.What I do remember is being quite delighted at not having to go, I didn't know why anyone would want to go see the Queen.All the other kids around had to get dressed up in their best clothes and make sure they were military parade style clean and neat.It was such a hassle for them all, mums fluttering around like bad tempered hens overseeing their broods - I was sooooo glad I was out of it.Anyways, off they all went, and they had to get away early, it was a horribly dull foggy cold day, October or November I think.I was stuck at home and got to stay in all day and watch the tv - which was a huge privelidge back then, normally we would all be kicked out the house in the morning and told not to come back until dinnertime - despite the fact that not one of us owned a watch.So, there I was, warm and toasty, watching some weepy black and white movie on the box, and the wanderers returned, around 3 in the afternoon, all of them were freezing cold, and damp.They were also pretty hacked off, Her Majesty must have been on a tight schedule, as her car drive past too quick for most of them to see her, and they had stood there for a couple of hours waiting.I think one of them saw what might have been the Royal gloved hand.I don't think my schadenfreud could have been any greater.How I wished that HRH had been giving it the middle finger on that velvet glove as the entourage swept past. Crossgates had never seen the likes when HRH visited for this!The station (when it was a REAL station) was gleaming, polished and scrubbed - absolutely beautiful with so many hanging baskets of flowers, I'm surprised the canopy didn't come down! Not stopping there though, the entire route upto Seacroft was resurfaced, freshly washed and swept that day and the floral decor continued all that way too. Sadly, such a spectacle has yet to be repeated.

[The Parksider]

jeffn wrote: don't forget the chippie, remember walking up from foxwood on a lunch time to get a bag of chips with scraps Ha ha Jeff - were you banned from your local Dib Lane Chippy then?

[The Parksider]

Croggy wrote: It was opened by the Queen She drove down our street with Phil.Waved at me.had a cup of tea in some ladies council house.They came round and cleaned the streets and trimmed the verges the week before along the route

[wiggy]

when i first left home,i used to live at no6 market square, at the back of the co-op,with tina thompson.we drank in the sovreign and the pathy,tina worked in romarts until i went in the marines.we loved the old centre and used a really greasy spoon caff,whose name escapes me.i know it was running wick with long tails(the centre,not the caff)...but it holds some happy memories.

[jeffn]

The Parksider wrote: jeffn wrote: don't forget the chippie, remember walking up from foxwood on a lunch time to get a bag of chips with scraps Ha ha Jeff - were you banned from your local Dib Lane Chippy then? Too far to walk from Foxwood - beside, there was a chance of running into my mam or dad if I went to Dib lane

[Yorkygirl]

i remember a 'brentford nylon' type shope on the rhs going down to the market think it became a wimpey later on, woolies was there near the sovereign and on the top level thurstons bakers, YE shop and a hairdressers, and the Pathfinder pub on the outside near where the job centre is now i think

[Scotteh2k8]

simonm wrote: When I first left shcool at the turn of the 70's 80's I had a job for a number of months at Butchers on Bogart hill drive. For the life of I can't remember the miserable old gets name. However, I digress slightly. Every Sat morning I had to load the van and get it to the centre for the Sat trade up at the indoor makret there! I always thought the place was so depressing at the time. Seems I'm not the only one! Roger somebody or other, god, thats annoying! The butchers that used to be next door to a green grocers, just off of Ramshead Hill?My mum and Grandma have lived on Boggart Hill Drive and Ramshead Hill for ages, I live on Boggart Hill Drive now, perhaps you new them, they were always in the butchers from what I remember, do the names Annette and Lorretta Osborne mean anything to you?

[Crazy Jane]

Quote: She drove down our street with Phil. i remember her driving under the flyover by stanks drive fire station(?) in jubilee year... my class from grymes dyke primary went up there to watch and wave red, white and blue streamers we'd made lolre seacroft centre cira 1980, i'm fairly sure there was a dentists on the front parade (heading towards the pathfinder pub), there was a big electricity board shop on the upper level inside......does anyone else remember the funny sports and fishing shop that was there for about 6 months on the lower level opposite the cafe? It was run by this crazy guy called Walt to all the kids hanging around there liked 'cos he got a bunch of arcade machines in his shop (and spent more time playing them than selling anything!)