SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I look at this building every day and always think how small it's footprint is, do you think it might be the smallest building in Leeds town centre? not counting any lean-to's or kiosks. This is opposite Trinity Church.

It certainly looks one of the narrowest anyway Billy. I can't think of anything smaller that I've seen.

It may be worth pointing out that the building with the 'On the wall' sign is only an entry/exit (and part of the selling area) to a wider shop that extends to the left about as much again as the white frontage part on the left of the entry/exit.

It was Finlays Tobacconists for a very long time. I remember it in the 70's, me dad used to get his fancy cigs from there. Can't remember the name of them but they were all different colours, cocktail cigs I think.

Chrism wrote: It was Finlays Tobacconists for a very long time. I remember it in the 70's, me dad used to get his fancy cigs from there. Can't remember the name of them but they were all different colours, cocktail cigs I think. I bet they were Balkan Sobranie or black Russian. a girl I worked with smoked these on nights out, they were all different colours, hellish expensive, thats why she smoked them only on special occasions. Or perhaps she thought she was a Bond girl

I too remember when it was a cig shop, that was before it was incorperated into the bigger building next door when that side of Boar Lane was a bit run down. I have attached another pic that shows the shallow depth of the building. Wonder if there is a building with a smaller footprint. Dont know why but I like this building, makes me think that sometime in the past the owner of this plot wouldnt give in to the big buyer uppers, romantic notion i know but wish a few more had stuck out, we might have a few more gems standing.

The coloured fags were definitely Sobranie Cocktail. They had gold filters, came in a fancy box which was like a cigarette case and were indeed hellishly expensive. I sometimes used to treat myself to a pack for a night out. Edited to add - just looked them up online and they are now £9.99 a pack!!!

geoffb wrote: [I bet they were Balkan Sobranie l When I was a teenager in the 1950s the family of one of my wealthy school pals had a shop in Ilkley Town Centre and on Sunday afternoons three of us used to sit in their upstairs lounge which overlooked the town cross roads. It was a superb vantage point for viewing all the "naughty but nice" goings on (and there were some !!) in what was then a very snooty town - and our pal always handed round the Balkan Sobranis - we really felt as if we'd "landed." Those sort of pals are the real genuine ones - although my domestic situation then was dire I was always made truly welcome without any "edge" at all.Sorry to wander off the topic (blame the Sobranis) but only by sixteen miles. Incidentally the original Ilkley Grammar School from 1607 is still there, on Skipton Road, and that IS tiny.