The balconies at Queens and County Arcade's

[Tasa]

Caron wrote: Am I dreaming? Is there a balcony in Leeds market (somewhere?). I seem to remember as a small child there was a balcony at one of the entrances/exits. Caron, there are indeed balconies around what is now called the 1904 Hall (which I think of as the Vicar Lane entrances), which was not affected by the 1975 fire. I don't think there is any public access to the balconies now but this photo from Wikepedia gives a view of (and from) them:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kirk ... 002.jpgThe photo shows a peaceful view above the height of shop units, but there must have been a mass of people moving below.

[raveydavey]

Tasa wrote: Caron wrote: Am I dreaming? Is there a balcony in Leeds market (somewhere?). I seem to remember as a small child there was a balcony at one of the entrances/exits. Caron, there are indeed balconies around what is now called the 1904 Hall (which I think of as the Vicar Lane entrances), which was not affected by the 1975 fire. I don't think there is any public access to the balconies now but this photo from Wikepedia gives a view of (and from) them:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Kirk ... 002.jpgThe photo shows a peaceful view above the height of shop units, but there must have been a mass of people moving below. There used to be a cafe up on the balcony in the Market - my nan used to take us there as kids whenever she took us into Leeds. Even then (probably no more than 7 or I can remember thinking just how crowded it was up there.

[Cardiarms]

You can walk up there but there's not shops. I think the cafe was closed due to fire regs, no fire escape. the Cafe sign is still there.

[Caron]

Well thanks to you all for your replies. I went on the link and eventually managed to find Kirkgate Market and saw the pics. I never went on the balcony so wondered if my memory of there being one was correct. I seem to remember it looking very narrow which is why as I've grown older I began to wonder if there ever was one. I don't even remember seeing any steps leading to the balcony.Thank you all again

[stutterdog]

Caron wrote: Well thanks to you all for your replies. I went on the link and eventually managed to find Kirkgate Market and saw the pics. I never went on the balcony so wondered if my memory of there being one was correct. I seem to remember it looking very narrow which is why as I've grown older I began to wonder if there ever was one. I don't even remember seeing any steps leading to the balcony.Thank you all again Hi Caron,I can remember my Mum taking me to Leeds in the late 40's early 50's. We got off the tram at the Corn Exchange where it turned under where the Guinness clock was later placed.I think it was a no. 14. We then entered the market on Kirkgate where the old lady who sold bunches of sage stood,remember her? We went up some steps just on the left as we entered.The steps were tiled in white brick pattern I think. Upstairs was a café and it sold lovely fresh breadcakes with butter on,delicious! We did this nearly every week for years!

[Caron]

Hi stutterdog and thanks for your memory.No matter how hard I try I can't recall any steps My mam didn't really go into Leeds very often.We used to spend every Saturday afternoon shopping on Kirkstall Road. Kirkstall Road was fantastic for shopping in the 60's with every shop you could ever need/want. What do we have now in 2013 to compare? Nothing!    

[tilly]

Caron wrote: Hi stutterdog and thanks for your memory.No matter how hard I try I can't recall any steps My mam didn't really go into Leeds very often.We used to spend every Saturday afternoon shopping on Kirkstall Road. Kirkstall Road was fantastic for shopping in the 60's with every shop you could ever need/want. What do we have now in 2013 to compare? Nothing!     Hi Caron I lived in Watlas Street in the sixties at the bottom of our street on the other side of the road was Woolworths,your right about the shops.Its the same with Hunslet Road when I was a kid you had every shop you could need now there is nothing.But with the slum clearance no housing either I would love to go back in time if only for one day.

[BLAKEY]

Hi Caron and tilly - you're right of course about Kirkstall Road in general, but cheer up - there are still one or two very decent shops surviving in the Haddon Road stretch. First, is the best and most obliging sub Post Office you'll find anywhere and almost next door is a superb and reasonable dry cleaner. Then there's a helpful and very reasonable car parts shop, a newsagent and, for the energetic, Woodrup's cycle shop. Although the Rising Sun (closed) has just burnt out there's still the Cardigan Arms and, for the finest coffee anywhere but IMHO little else, McDonald's. By the way, who remembers what occupied Woolworth's site previously ?? - The Embassy Cinema !!Sorry to digress, but I didn't start it , back to the City Centre arcades.

[Cardiarms]

You can buy a snake, body building foods, blinds, security surveillance equipment, office furniture, shoes, food for home or to take away and have some sort of chinese health regime. Can't have a 'massage' any more.

[barnie]

There are toilets up on the balconies of the County Arcade which are apparently still in use by shop staff. I was told they weren't open to the public as they are so old, which I think makes them all the more interesting. If you peer up from the ground floor you can just about see the signs for the ladies and gents on the doors. Did anyone here ever use these back in the day and if so do they remember them to be particularly old or interesting? They are above Neil's Yard (or thereabouts). There were also some above Vivienne Westwood but I think the space has now been incorporated into the shop upstairs.