SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

The old part of the Moor Allerton Shopping Centre (i.e. not Sainsburys and Homebase) has been looking run down for quite some time now, with mainly closed premsies to which the recent closure of the Comet store has created even more closedown. I have just read that the Blockbuster chain has gone into administration, with all the uncertainty that creates. If the Blockbuster store at the Moor Allerton Centre shuts then it surely cannot be long before that area (probably even including the library) is flattened.

You're probably right, to be honest. I would imagine that Sainsbury's would jump at the chance to expand and maybe add a filling station, plus there seems to be a never ending need for McD's and KFC drivethrus...    

'Moor Allerton SC used to be Sainsbury's and I think I recall a burger king there too..?

Jogon wrote: 'Moor Allerton SC used to be Sainsbury's and I think I recall a burger king there too..? Sainsburys and a few small retail units, Craggs, Newsagents, etc, and Homebase seperate and lower down the site. Shopped there every Saturday for many years when they opened. Not many pictures of those very early days to be found, aside from some the library

Craggs is still there, attached to the library block. Sainsbury's had a main access/egress point roughly where the newsagent was, with a frozen food section at the far end (where Comet was) that oddly did not have a direct link to the main section of Sainsbury's. I used to use the Burger King and miss it not being there for a few years now.

Leodian wrote: Craggs is still there, attached to the library block. Sainsbury's had a main access/egress point roughly where the newsagent was, with a frozen food section at the far end (where Comet was) that oddly did not have a direct link to the main section of Sainsbury's. I used to use the Burger King and miss it not being there for a few years now. Yes, always put off by having to 'shop twice' with the segregated freezer bit.

chameleon wrote: Leodian wrote: Craggs is still there, attached to the library block. Sainsbury's had a main access/egress point roughly where the newsagent was, with a frozen food section at the far end (where Comet was) that oddly did not have a direct link to the main section of Sainsbury's. I used to use the Burger King and miss it not being there for a few years now. Yes, always put off by having to 'shop twice' with the segregated freezer bit. I'd forgotten about that! But yes, how odd was that? I assume there was some reason behind it, but can't think what it might have been.We did our frozen food shopping at Jack Fultons (or Bejam if we were feeling flush) anyway - we could only dream of buying Sainsbury's fish fingers...

is that dreadful pub still there? whats it called, 'the bent penny' or something? I used to get the number 9 bus up there from West Park or drive up there when I could afford car insurance and if I needed to get any DIY stuff from sainsburys homebase, and used to use the librarys computers for the internet when I couldnt afford broadband at home. I can remember a few years ago my step mum telling me how my dad and her had bought one of those American style fridge freezers with the double doors and ice maker on the front from the Comet there as kind of an impulse buy, although they'd got it for a bargain price as it was the salesmans 'last day' working there and he did them a 'special price'...!!! I couldnt believe they'd fallen for that crock... when I checked the price out online it turns out they'd paid the full retail price of £599.95, but I wasnt gonna burst their bubble.I wouldnt be surprised if it doesnt all turn into one large pound shop cum charity shop centre which seems to be happening to a lot of local high streets.

Hi jon. The 'Penny Fun' pub is still there, but I've never been inside.