SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

They had two shops (at different times) in County Arcade. The original shop in Cross Arcade was predominantly a butchers . What happened to this great business? Their roast ham and piccallilli sarnies were the best ever.

I remember a butchers in 'VQ' after the multi million £ redevelopment. I guess they simply don't fit the profile they want there - there have been instances in the past of leases not being renewed, or premises left empty rather than let to the "wrong" clientel, if I recall correctly. The management of the VQ are very protective of their image (for want of a better word).

Their sausage sanwiches were brilliant

Bet place for sarnies now is Appetite back of the old Wellesley Hotel (now flats). There are not many places that do good bread these days. Saying that I've not tried Firth and Paynes int he market for a bit, must give them a go. Anyone remember when they were a cooked meat, bacon, bread and coffee shop up the arcade off Vicar Lane / Kirkgate? What smells.

I remember a sandwich shop on Armley Road where the sausage sarnies were so poor, there was more bread in the sausage than the bread cake!

Si wrote: I remember a sandwich shop on Armley Road where the sausage sarnies were so poor, there was more bread in the sausage than the bread cake! Centre Fillings is like that now. Really poor quality and they also can't grasp that you do not need a massive dollop of hot chopped tomatos on a breadcake, it just makes it soggy. FFS tomates need to be fried off in bacon fat and reduced to a wet paste.

Centre Filling were always pretty dire.When i worked in City House cira 1998-2002 they had the contract for the snack trolley that came around mid morning and afternoon. I remember their toffee slice thing that while being one of the more palatable offerings, had a distinct flavour of pig fat to it.The shop itself may have been better back then. Almost certainly they saved the worst of their offerings for the 'trolley dollys' to sell to their captive auduence.

Crazy Jane wrote: Centre Filling were always pretty dire.When i worked in City House cira 1998-2002 they had the contract for the snack trolley that came around mid morning and afternoon. I remember their toffee slice thing that while being one of the more palatable offerings, had a distinct flavour of pig fat to it.The shop itself may have been better back then. Almost certainly they saved the worst of their offerings for the 'trolley dollys' to sell to their captive auduence. No, the shops are terrible. If you imagine the cheapest way to put something together, that's what you will get from them. Cheapest ingredients available. Burned bacon and sawdust sausages with no flavous. Eurgh. They are not even cheap.