Grand Arcade these days notso

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:19 pm

Jogon wrote: buffaloskinner wrote: There used to be a Pet shop on the left as you walked down, used to look and wait in there for the hour to strike.Its a crying shame that these pieces of art no longer work I mourned the passing of that lovely pet shop, but never spent any money there. I did spend money in the fishing tackle shop (bottom right) and Blacks Camping (used to be lower middle left). Then the YHA Shop (bottom left) which used to be a gents hairdressers mid 70's, and I also used the (Waldrens?) Bedding shop top right.There is still in there the trophy shop where you can, well, buy trophies either for sports clubs or for home use to make it look like I'm good at something.Currently there is a pleasant coffee shop/cafe thing mid right.Dont forget to look at the lovely Vicar La frontagehttp://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2717471 I took this photo on July 3 2010. It shows (just!) the 'Pets Aquaria' sign on Merrion Street at the rear of what was the pet shop. The sign is still there.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:25 pm

chameI think you're right, things did go south. The ABC Cinema and West Yorks ('Red') bus station emptied people north of the Headrow and it was often trad to filter up the Grand thence Lewis's etc.For a period the Grand Arcade was/is nightclub land.I suppose it is easy for us 'bods' to say what we like and want, but perhaps it depends on one's place on "the conveyor belt of life" and perhaps (if it worked) my kids wouldn't fancy watching said clock.Perhaps we could take flasks, tartan rugs (for knees) and camping chairs and stage a vigil to shame them into fixing it. Unless they want contributions to it's upkeep. Leo good pic, see also http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2729396

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:27 pm

We bought our first dog from that pet shop, back in the early 80's - he was called Prince, after the Black Prince whose statue we drove past on the journey home. He was a black lab cross - possibly with a spaniel of some sort. He lived to a ripe old age too, around 20 years old.I've no idea why we drove past the Black Prince as it would seem to have been in the opposite direction I'd have expected us to go, thinking back....Anyway, back to the Grand Arcade. It does suffer from being in the wrong place now - there is little out that way to attract passing trade nowadays, with the red bus station and the cinema long since consigned to the history books. Even the Chest Clinic has gone.Perhaps the nearby "Eastgate Quarter" will breathe new life into the place , if it is ever built.

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:32 pm

"the conveyor belt of life"Oh dear Jogon, does that mean once we've gone under we'll come out at the beginning to do it all again one day???

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:40 pm

raveydavey wrote: Perhaps the nearby "Eastgate Quarter" will breathe new life into the place , if it is ever built. You took the letters right out of my keyboard.It's a golden opportunity to revive that end of town. We should start a campaign for the clock to be restored.I think that despite the wonders of the computer world kids would still love to see it working. You'd be amazed at the number of kids clustered round some frankly dull fake snowmen in a little fenced off garden in a local shopping centre here recently.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:44 pm

Tasa wrote: I agree that the arcade looks very sorry for itself these days and it's a shame that the clock is at a standstill.Just a couple of memories of the arcade when I lived in the city centre as a child in the 1960s:I used to feel sorry for the animals in the pet shop window because they used to cower every time the door banged shut! http://www.leodis.net/display.aspx?reso ... SPLAY=FULL -----------------------That little lad front right of photo (if they are 'Cashdesia' shorts) could be an early shot of me. Incidentally ref - Grand Arcade Pet shop, when that shut there was (to my knowledge) just the Kirkgate Pet shop ideal as you could park outside. That is shut now.

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:45 pm

Geordie-exile wrote: raveydavey wrote: Perhaps the nearby "Eastgate Quarter" will breathe new life into the place , if it is ever built. You took the letters right out of my keyboard.It's a golden opportunity to revive that end of town. We should start a campaign for the clock to be restored.I think that despite the wonders of the computer world kids would still love to see it working. You'd be amazed at the number of kids clustered round some frankly dull fake snowmen in a little fenced off garden in a local shopping centre here recently. But where would they go to or come from via the arcade Geordie?

Post by **cnosni** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 9:59 pm

chameleon wrote: Geordie-exile wrote: raveydavey wrote: Perhaps the nearby "Eastgate Quarter" will breathe new life into the place , if it is ever built. You took the letters right out of my keyboard.It's a golden opportunity to revive that end of town. We should start a campaign for the clock to be restored.I think that despite the wonders of the computer world kids would still love to see it working. You'd be amazed at the number of kids clustered round some frankly dull fake snowmen in a little fenced off garden in a local shopping centre here recently. But where would they go to or come from via the arcade Geordie? Perhaps simply by the regeneration of that end of Vicar Lane by the Eastgate/Harewood quarter development a new breath of life could be given.After all,look what is happening with the Merrion Centre with the arena development.

tilly · Post by **tilly** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 10:47 pm

With a bit of thought this arcade could be brought back to its former glory.All the other arcades in the city seem to do ok we have lost far too many of our old Leeds buildings is this going to go the same way? One of the bigest mistakes the council made was to pull down the Empire Theater i know we have other theaters in the city but not with the same design as the Empire.Or is it me looking through rose tinted glasses?What are your thoughts it would be nice to hear your input.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 05 Jan, 2012 10:52 pm

I've seen lots of starry-eyed shop business startups where only the Landlord wins on the Director's PG's.Would one risk ones own hard-earned with potential full pers liab (not hiding behind a Ltd Co) to put a shop in the Grand Arc in the hope that folks would come.tilly pass me those rose tinted glegs