I've been on a little jaunt to my home town Leeds... chance to to see my lovely children and even lovelier grand children - still cant my head round being a nana, I delivered the scrap quilt and promised the baby one from the next bag of scraps. It was also a chance to go round the once magnificent Leeds Market - and buy fabric... yes I know its technically not allowed but I needed inspiration and possibly spots for this current project ... Leeds market is well worth a visit -
Visitors to Leeds head for the Trinty Mall ( which I've only been in once) and the Victorian Quarter - both splendid shopping areas but Trinty despite having a sculpture in there by Adam Scott - the chap who did the Falkirk Kelpies is really just like any other shopping mall in the UK -
The Victoria Quarter is a little bit more interesting with some bespoke shops offering expensive but original items. For me the Victoria Quarter brings back memories of an original Virgin Records shop - with a chill out zone on the top floor with huge floor cushions and headphones - possibly even cannabis plants in the planters though I think that was probably a myth and many a happy Saturday afternoon was spent hanging out up there (plus an all night queue for Led Zepplin tickets). Later I worked in the shop next door - it was a beautiful ornate space and we sold one off hand made items of pottery, jewellery and clothing - this was the days before the 'craft' and 'hand made' were so readily available. My enthusiasm earned me the opportunity to go buying with the manager around the country - and so I started (sadly much of long lost and broken) collection of individual eclectic pots, clothes and bespoke jewellery.
In the basement of the shop which we used as a fitting room - was an old range and we spent hours cleaning it up and making a feature of it - the shop has long gone and has been replaced with a very expensive clothes shop and the basement is no longer open but I often wonder if the range is still there... the whole of the quarter is very different now, beautifully restored and a flagship area for 'shoppers' of Leeds.
Those days are long gone but the influences both regarding my love of music and unique one off articles of clothing, jewellery and and appreciation of design have stayed with me.
But back to the virtual tour of Leeds and I just want to say if you ever visit - check out the market.. its a stones throw from the Victoria Quarter and has an amazing mix of stalls and people. Sadly the essence is slowly being eroded - for some reason LCC think it should be up graded' and become more gentrified to enhance all the new building work which is to include a flagship John Lewis.. Alot of people in Leeds find this sad as the market has a charm of its own and more importantly provides a livelihood for many people who do not want to be gentrified but are happy to provide goods and chattels to those people who perhaps cant afford or choose not to shop in place such as Harvey Nicks or John Lewis - and lets face it we all love a good market and Leeds market with its beautiful Victorian facade and interior ( excepting the bit burnt down in the 1970s [allegedly in a magic dispute between the witch of Sheffield and the Wizard of Leeds, thats another story...] ) is an excellent example of a brilliant shopping space...
Visitors to Leeds head for the Trinty Mall ( which I've only been in once) and the Victorian Quarter - both splendid shopping areas but Trinty despite having a sculpture in there by Adam Scott - the chap who did the Falkirk Kelpies is really just like any other shopping mall in the UK -
The Victoria Quarter is a little bit more interesting with some bespoke shops offering expensive but original items. For me the Victoria Quarter brings back memories of an original Virgin Records shop - with a chill out zone on the top floor with huge floor cushions and headphones - possibly even cannabis plants in the planters though I think that was probably a myth and many a happy Saturday afternoon was spent hanging out up there (plus an all night queue for Led Zepplin tickets). Later I worked in the shop next door - it was a beautiful ornate space and we sold one off hand made items of pottery, jewellery and clothing - this was the days before the 'craft' and 'hand made' were so readily available. My enthusiasm earned me the opportunity to go buying with the manager around the country - and so I started (sadly much of long lost and broken) collection of individual eclectic pots, clothes and bespoke jewellery.
In the basement of the shop which we used as a fitting room - was an old range and we spent hours cleaning it up and making a feature of it - the shop has long gone and has been replaced with a very expensive clothes shop and the basement is no longer open but I often wonder if the range is still there... the whole of the quarter is very different now, beautifully restored and a flagship area for 'shoppers' of Leeds.
Those days are long gone but the influences both regarding my love of music and unique one off articles of clothing, jewellery and and appreciation of design have stayed with me.
But back to the virtual tour of Leeds and I just want to say if you ever visit - check out the market.. its a stones throw from the Victoria Quarter and has an amazing mix of stalls and people. Sadly the essence is slowly being eroded - for some reason LCC think it should be up graded' and become more gentrified to enhance all the new building work which is to include a flagship John Lewis.. Alot of people in Leeds find this sad as the market has a charm of its own and more importantly provides a livelihood for many people who do not want to be gentrified but are happy to provide goods and chattels to those people who perhaps cant afford or choose not to shop in place such as Harvey Nicks or John Lewis - and lets face it we all love a good market and Leeds market with its beautiful Victorian facade and interior ( excepting the bit burnt down in the 1970s [allegedly in a magic dispute between the witch of Sheffield and the Wizard of Leeds, thats another story...] ) is an excellent example of a brilliant shopping space...
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