SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

When I was a kid Iived in York and every so often my parents would take me to Leeds, we would visit a big American style sports shop. My parent bought me two pairs of Kangaroo trainers from there and they used to sell a fizzy drink called New York Seltzer. Does anyone know what this shop was called or where it was please? It was there before huge sports shops became popular here.

Welcome to the forum

To start this rolling, have you any idea about what type of area the shop was in? eg City centre or out on some retail park?

One big sports shop right in the centre was Sutcliffe's - which I always believed had been founded by the great Yorkshire cricketer Herbert Sutcliffe - but that may be wrong. I don't remember fizzy drinks there but that means nothing.

Here are some leodis images which may jog your memory or eliminate Sutcliffe's from the list of possibles.

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... 928_164833

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... 928_164839

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... 4_51939029

I can think of some more sports shops in Leeds City Centre.

From the 1950’s, there was Wainwright’s at Leeds Bridge, which in those days was mainly focused on cricket equipment and clothing. This was a small old-fashioned sports shop and it was later taken over by one of the Leeds United players. I am not sure if the shop was there in the 1980’s.

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL


Another old Leeds sports shop was Thornton’s on Briggate. This was a large store – again old-fashioned and specialised in sports clothing for schools and schoolchildren. I am not sure that it was there in the 1980’s due to re-development of the area.

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL


An Australian Rugby League player, and school teacher, called Arthur Clues had a sports shop in Woodhouse Lane from the 1960’s and then later moved to Merrion Street (opposite Nash’s Fish and Chip Shop). The shop was managed by Bill Cartwright, who I knew from playing rugby against him at Headingley RUFC where he played as a second row forward. Bill was about and 6’ 5” tall and, from being young, never had any head hair and was totally bald – he was very distinctive. I am not sure if the shop was there in the 1980’s. The premises, later, became a bar.

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL


In the 1980’s, there was a sports shop called Centresport. This was a large shop on Woodhouse Lane, in the Merrion Centre, opposite the Central High School. Some of the shops, there, went right through, to the main mall in the centre. I suspect that this may be the shop that is being sought.

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL



In later years, probably during and after the 1980’s, as city centre malls and shops were developed, there were other sports shops such as Lillywhites on the Headrow, Instep Sports in the Merrion Centre and, no doubt, many others.

Centresport went to New Briggate after leaving the Merrion Centre
This is the climbing department

uncle mick wrote: ↑

Tue 22 Dec, 2020 9:20 am

Centresport went to New Briggate after leaving the Merrion Centre

IIRC, their new shop was in what had been a traditional gent's outfitters on the corner of Merrion Street. For many years they had a window display of regimental ties.

I think Centresport specialised in things like climbing rather than organised team sports. I bought a really good Goretex anorak there half-price clearance.

That outfitters i think was Hardy's

Hole in one!

This was the only pic I could find on Leodis.

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

jma wrote: ↑

Tue 22 Dec, 2020 9:15 pm

That outfitters i think was Hardy's

Hole in one!

This was the only pic I could find on Leodis.

http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL

Thanks jma,
Great minds think alike.