With Weetons of Harrogate confirming it has no plans to relocate its closed Victoria Gate pop-up, Leeds locals discuss which outlets they'd like to see in the city centre.
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00:00 I think some of the alternative shops would be good to come back, like when we had Grin Down in the Corn Exchange.
00:06 That's going back a long time now.
00:08 But I think we need to support more of the independent ones.
00:12 But with the rents around here, the independents aren't having a chance to get in.
00:16 If they do pop us, that's great, but it doesn't give them longevity.
00:19 And we can't necessarily continue if they're not in the city centre to support them.
00:23 For me, maybe Converse.
00:27 I'm a sneakers fan, you know.
00:30 But for me, I'd like to say it's satisfying for me to see many of the major brands,
00:37 sports brands and fashion brands in these.
00:40 Maybe a few more guitar shops.
00:42 I can't think that we're in desperate need of any more pubs or restaurants.
00:47 There are plenty of places to eat.
00:50 Pubs are good, great pubs.
00:52 But I do like my music, so a few guitar shops, really.
00:55 I think for me, just the more independent shops, the better.
00:58 If there are something new, something different, I'm not particularly bothered by what it is,
01:02 but I'm prepared to go in and try it out if it's new and independent.
01:05 And if it meets a demand, then obviously it'll do well and people will stay.
01:11 What's the next shop that we always go in?
01:14 I don't think there's one in here.
01:15 There's one in Manchester.
01:17 One in what?
01:18 Fine Tiger.
01:19 Oh, it's a Tiger, yeah?
01:20 Yeah.
01:20 I don't think I've seen one near Eadre.
01:22 Yeah, there's one in Leeds, no.
01:23 Fine Tiger?
01:24 That's the only one I can think of, because I feel like Leeds has got the majority of shops we normally go in.
01:28 Yeah.
01:29 I think you want as many local and independent businesses as possible.
01:32 Again, obviously with business rates and stuff, that's probably pretty difficult,
01:35 but any time shops leave a high street, it's always a bad thing.
01:40 You can always tell the health of a city and a high street by the amount of shops that are either taken up or left abandoned.
01:49 I'd like to see more music shops, because I'm a musician myself,
01:52 but I haven't really...
01:54 Not really, nothing really else.
01:58 It's everything you need, yeah.