European City of Something
I went into Leeds City Centre yesterday - the first time on a Saturday for ages. I had little choice as I had to buy something to wear at Emily and Gareth's wedding, which is in under two weeks. I cannot begin to tell you how much I hate shopping for clothes, especially for clothes for important occasions, but anyway, I did it.
The Leeds that I remember from my childhood is very different from Leeds as it portrays itself now.
And before we start, I'm not THAT old, okay?
In those days Leeds was very polluted by smoke and quite often there would be terrible smog - I remember having to go out with a scarf over my face. If you went into the city centre midweek there'd be nobody about - everyone would be working.
There were big department stores - Schofields, for example, and Lewis's, with its posh black and white food hall. But in spite of these there was a generalised "it's grim Up North" feel to it all, and a general feeling of poverty round the corner.
There still is plenty of poverty in Leeds, of course, but you wouldn't be able to tell from looking at the city centre. It's been Gentrified.
It's all glass and gold signs and pedestrian precincts and even the old Victorian arcades have become the Victoria Quarter. Ooh 'eck.
Briggate (click for a virtual tour) is one of the centre's oldest streets and I remember it being full of traffic. Not now, though: it's full of people. Or it was yesterday, anyway.
I passed one shop with a window full of golden clothes and no prices. A closer look showed me it was Harvey Nicholls. I looked inside, but really wouldn't want even to cross the threshold. Even nearby Debenhams had lots of ordinary-looking handbags for about £125.
I don't know why I get so upset by expensive goods such as these. Yes, yes, people have the right to spend their money how they like. But how can a handbag costing £125 be £105 nicer than mine, which cost £20?
The old Leeds was far too "where there's muck there's brass" and took a certain pride in its grimness. I know the new version is an improvement in many ways. But there are things about it that make me uneasy. Too much glitz. Not enough heart.
The Leeds that I remember from my childhood is very different from Leeds as it portrays itself now.
And before we start, I'm not THAT old, okay?
In those days Leeds was very polluted by smoke and quite often there would be terrible smog - I remember having to go out with a scarf over my face. If you went into the city centre midweek there'd be nobody about - everyone would be working.
There were big department stores - Schofields, for example, and Lewis's, with its posh black and white food hall. But in spite of these there was a generalised "it's grim Up North" feel to it all, and a general feeling of poverty round the corner.
There still is plenty of poverty in Leeds, of course, but you wouldn't be able to tell from looking at the city centre. It's been Gentrified.
It's all glass and gold signs and pedestrian precincts and even the old Victorian arcades have become the Victoria Quarter. Ooh 'eck.
Briggate (click for a virtual tour) is one of the centre's oldest streets and I remember it being full of traffic. Not now, though: it's full of people. Or it was yesterday, anyway.
I passed one shop with a window full of golden clothes and no prices. A closer look showed me it was Harvey Nicholls. I looked inside, but really wouldn't want even to cross the threshold. Even nearby Debenhams had lots of ordinary-looking handbags for about £125.I don't know why I get so upset by expensive goods such as these. Yes, yes, people have the right to spend their money how they like. But how can a handbag costing £125 be £105 nicer than mine, which cost £20?
The old Leeds was far too "where there's muck there's brass" and took a certain pride in its grimness. I know the new version is an improvement in many ways. But there are things about it that make me uneasy. Too much glitz. Not enough heart.
posted by Daphne at 8:29 pm
2 Comments:
My recollection of shopping in Leeds is of a place that had "brass" (as in attitude rather than money) and a little bit of dignity. I never got the impression that it was that grim. Gritty in parts, perhaps, but that's not the same. Grim is a word I would use to describe the Bradford of the same era.
I used to like shopping for clothes in Leeds - in most cases not actually buying anything (I hoarded my precious pounds for records), but just looking in the three or four shops that me and my mates thought offered high class fashion. There was one menswear place at the bottom of Lower Briggate where we would marvel at the four button high waister 'bags' on display in the window, though we could never afford the 11.99 price tag.
On my last trip back to Leeds I found the city centre to be depressingly tacky and vulgar. A lot of places selling expensive designer label stuff, but nowhere that exuded style, excitement or fun. It was all just about handing over your credit card and walking out with a label.
I think pedestrian zones are usually a great idea but Briggate just doesn't work for me. It's lost the bustle that made my mum say "It's like Briggate in here."
I used to work at Huggy Bears boutique (a great word, like discotheque, now so quaint) on Briggate, where we would sell shockingly straight leg jeans to the punky guys who worked at Virgin Records opposite.
Now Huggys is a Burger King and Virgin has got a bit bigger and moved.
The other change for the worse in Leeds town centre is the loss of all those seedy little pubs where old men in macs would sup a half of pale ale and read the racing post. Now they've all been converted into building societies and Superdrug stores.
Come on then, Daffers, 'fess up. What did you buy to wear on the big day.
And do you want to borrow a hst? I've got a spare one, about the size of Anglesey..
Diz
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