SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

The problem here, as I scribe, will be getting any sort of geographical, logical sense to the info (if anyone posts):- ideas welcome.Example:I 'needed one' in the Merrion Centre. I asked a Staff bod who said nearest was St John's Centre. Town Centre Securitie's flag ship Merrion Centre:- well done you!. Great appreciation of valued 'footfall traffic'/customers. Cheers, that explains the smell in their car park.But with my (secret) Leeds knowledge I knew St J. would charge for this.Don't just mean ye olde publc bogs (apparently there were some downstairs in City Sq), I mean all loos including eg Debenhams Briggate etc.Let's make this an essential read for anyone who want's to be secretly comfortable about town.I think that region Yorkshire Post to Great Geo St is a 'no go' zone, and Wellington St > Boar La is too? Or is it? Let me know, that I may wander carefree. A sub-guide to Cuthbert Broderick Bogs appealed but I thought that they would come out anyway. I have never been in the Corn Exchange. I have in the Parish Church (which has an excellent Cafe on the right as you go in).    

There used to be some in the Merrion Centre as you turned right into the Superstore, near the doors to the car park steps. There are lots of pubs on the routes you mention Jogon, and city centre they're mostly open all day.

There are toilets in Mcdonalds St Johns Center you can pop in there no problem.

Geordie-exile wrote: There used to be some in the Merrion Centre as you turned right into the Superstore, near the doors to the car park steps.     There were others originally in the Merrion Centre - in the grottiest of subways which went beneath Wade Lane, from the eastern pedesrian ramp (still there) into the MC to a lower level ramp opposite the Merrion Street public gardens. It would be a brave or desperate man who chanced a visit down there, especially out of hours - it was a muggers', tramps', beggars' paradise even then.In the railway station there are four - one in the pub next to M & S, one in McDonalds, one in Wetherspoons and the 30 pence deluxe on the upper concourse. For historians there is a still a reminder of the glory days of the station. Stand in the lower concourse facing City Square and notice the two sealed off doorways either side of the narrower exit. Above the right hand one is a painted over panel which disguises the original illuminated sign for :-                                                    GENTLEMEN                     Toilet Bath and                     Dressing RoomsDitto LADIES on the left next to Wetherspoons    

Hi BLAKEY I know what what you mean about the subway toilets they were the dumps.I used them once but never again after that, if my memory serves me right they were in a grotty tiled tunnel it was the pits thats for shure.

I have two photos of the Wade Lane subway where those grotty toilets were on this page herehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/with/538693048/It's blocked off from the public these days, It must have been closed nearly 30 years now, it does look a little cleaner down there to how it used to be. You used to get some real shifty characters down there.

You can use the loos in the Acropolis restaurant, if it's still there. But it costs £1 for a squirt unless you are a customer. I have allus wondered if you said "well, I've been in here as a customer a few times and not used them so can I have a free pee please?"

I used the toilets in BHS a few months back, so they may still be there unless they have not survived the ongoing alterations to BHS.

Phill_dvsn wrote: I have two photos of the Wade Lane subway where those grotty toilets were on this page herehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/with/538693048/It's blocked off from the public these days, It must have been closed nearly 30 years now, it does look a little cleaner down there to how it used to be. You used to get some real shifty characters down there. Thanks for the post Phill My memory was wrong there are on tiles on the walls but yes they were grotty.

tilly wrote: Phill_dvsn wrote: I have two photos of the Wade Lane subway where those grotty toilets were on this page herehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/phill_dvsn/with/538693048/It's blocked off from the public these days, It must have been closed nearly 30 years now, it does look a little cleaner down there to how it used to be. You used to get some real shifty characters down there. Thanks for the post Phill My memory was wrong there are on tiles on the walls but yes they were grotty. I think it's been spruced up down there over the years, I can't remember it being tiled, but it could have been, it was certainly dark and dingy down there.I think some of the worst toilets in Leeds had to be the ones in Leeds City Station, the ones you went down stairs to under the subway to different platforms. It's been covered on S.L before, and it's been blocked off since the new station rebuild. I always remember it absolutely stunk, and the Durex machine had a really ironic, but funny piece of graffiti on it. It said ''Insert baby for refund''