J.J.'s Junction's wares spill out onto the pavement - plastic chairs, bins, buckets, baby baths,…read morelaundry baskets, and my absolute favourite: rolls of plastic table cloth material with a variety of brilliant designs including shiny gold or silver floral, a coral reef, pasta and some very pretty vintage-style lace patterns...Amazing! If I'd had any money on me I shudder to think how much of this tacky/kitsch gloriousness I would've bought I must say I simply can't imagine how they manage to get all that stuff inside every evening! Inside the shop is full to the brim with such a mad range of bits and bobs it's pretty hard to pin it down. There's loads of crockery, some of which I rather love decorated with cutesy floral patterns and just about every little useful item you could have in your house! One thing that stood out for me was an absolutely GIANT charming retro-look thermos flask. I wanted it but couldn't think what for. It would probably hold a good few gallons! How very odd! Along with supplying all the bits of homely stuff you never knew you needed but probably do, they also do a key cutting service. Yay!

This shop always used to grab my attention whenever I walked past due to its endearing 'Walk In'…read moresign posted above the doorway, as if the owner lived in perpetual fear that someone might one day confuse his shop for a drive-in DIY store. As far as I know, that hasn't happened yet, but it did mean that this establishment was the first to spring to my mind when I found myself in need of somewhere nearby to purchase a padlock, so perhaps it wasn't an entirely wasted effort. One of those stores that sells just about everything you need and a lot of stuff you don't, JJ's is cheap, cheerful and exactly what you want from such an establishment. While I went in for a padlock, the bright displays and cheap prices meant I very nearly came out with a box of fireworks and children's paddling pool too, so try and stick to your guns unless you want a house full of tat. The staff are pretty helpful too, although it might take a while to catch their eye - the place was heaving when I visited, and it was only a Wednesday morning.

Trundling along North Street I'd almost given up looking for Maplin's and headed to P.C. World when…read morea man asked me for directions. I couldn't help him and said in passing that I was looking for Maplin's, he promptly gave me directions and I was soon in this Aladdin's Cave of electrical components. Being slightly out of the city centre this electronics shop is vast compared to my other experiences of Maplin's. You can get loads of little bits from transistors, to hard drives and a cacophony of wires to larger goods such as disco lights. Everything is here to enable you to vamp up any gadget you may have lurking in the house. Despite the size the layout is well devised, staff are able to find things quickly and can offer what seems to be knowledgeable advice on what you need, although I am no expert.

This place is my mecca. Maplin to me is like a shoe shop to the wife! I have spent many hours just…read morewandering around here playing with gadgets and boys toys, the disco lights area is a favourite but I do get funny looks when I'm doing my Saturday Night Fever routine. If you need anything electronic you will find it here, from a tiny resistor to a great big speaker they will have it! The only thing that stops this place from being 5 star is they can be pricey on componenets compared with Farnells and CPC but if you need it today and need any advice this lot will sort you out :)

Smann Wholesalers is a wholesaler of electrical equipment and hardware. They sell all kinds of…read moreelectrical fixtures and fittings for lights and sockets as well as all the tools and hardware you'd expect from a regular D.I.Y. shop. It's a great place for local businesses to come for some good deals and the personal service of an independent shop. They also sell to individual non-commercial customers so if you're keen when it comes to D.I.Y. (and have more of an idea what you're doing than I would!) you can find the stuff you need to install electrical equipment while saving loads of dosh by not having to pay an electrician to come and install lit for you. Great!

This is a huge Currys store located in Leeds city centre, it is a short walk away from Trinity…read moreLeeds, and The Town Hall at The Basilica. The store is surprisingly large for a city centre location, it's over two floors, but with escalators going up only if you're heading down you'll need to use the stairs or find the elevator. The store stocks a wide range of electronics from computers to printers, TV's to smart speakers, as well as accessories including ink, and laptop carrying cases. There is a small Apple section, although I much prefer John Lewis at the Victoria Quarter or the Apple Store inside Trinity for Apple products, as the selection is limited. Although they had the advertising in-store for the iPhone 15, the only model out to demo was the iPhone 14, they also seemed to only have the older MacBook Pro's compared to the latest generation - what's the deal with that? The location is great for those who are in the city centre but the problem with this is that the store doesn't have parking, and for a store that specialises in large electronic items from printers to laptops and TVs, that isn't practical, there is Q-Park St Johns Centre which is located a five-minute walk away, but again depending on what you're buying, this could be hard to carry around a busy city centre on foot. 4* - It's a huge store, which is rare for a city centre, being located closer to parking and ensuring they stock a range of the latest tech would be big improvements, otherwise they risk becoming more of an outlet.

Leeds Currys at Headrow, I went in to ask for tech advice, the member of staff I spoke to was very…read morerude and unfriendly, its like I asked him for a pint of blood, was not bothered at all, and spoke with attitiude, no respect for customers at all, in future I will take my custom elsewhere

If Bang & Olufsen is the high end stylish electronics shop, and Sony Centre the quality, and Richer…read moreSounds the down to earth company then Superfi is definitely the cool and more student like brand of electronic stores. They are bright and exciting and offer tons of things in the way of electronic equipment. The store is laid out in a really simple way so it's easy to go and browse the items you want, the staff seem friendly and not too pushy for sales, and they have pretty competitive prices. Sure enough, when you are shopping in here you can't expect it to be cheap, but with their current sale and wide range of goods you might be pleasantly surprised! Even taking a glance at their website will demonstrate the range of items on offer here. From projectors, to televisions, to speakers, to turntables, to games consoles - they truly cater to a student's every desire, and more than just students too. Really worth paying them a little visit!

I went here today looking to replace my filters for my extractor, I was told they are now obsolete,…read morethe man (a b l - name on receipt)I dealt with was very obliging and patient. Once it was established that they were no longer available, he proceeded to take a closer look at the filter, and guess what, he actually took time out to repair it, at no cost to me. I was so impressed with this service that I mentioned that my fridge was on the blink too, on telling him the problems it was agreed that it would not be worth repairing , I then ordered a new under counter fridge and a small under counter freezer too. I was very impressed with his service and time and effort he gave me, I felt I had to write a review to let others know of their excellent service. Well done Bells domestic appliance , you have a customer for life. thank you . Brenda m

Bought a washing machine, fridge-freezer and cooker, got them all the same day and they installed…read moretoo. Great value service, highly recommended.

Man this shop is pokey!…read more Big Deal sell a good deal of stuff for such a small space, that is for sure. Their goods range mostly in music items and electrical goods, most especially amplifiers and guitars although there are a number of other items on sale here too. As a lot of the items have been part exchanged/are second hand it means they offer reasonably competetive prices on their goods. The main issue with this, though, is that when searching for musical items money isn't (and shouldn't be) the main factor. I'm not saying one should go crazy, but it doesn't matter how cheap their Takemine might be, that doesn't mean it is a better deal than a full price elsewhere. I'll elaborate. Unfortunately therein lies the problems with musical instruments - line up seven of exactly the same guitar from the same factory from the same day, and one will be miles above the others for sound quality. One will sing and you'll notice it compared to the others. There just aren't two guitars the same - you can test this yourself by annoying the salesmen in any guitar shop in Leeds and ask to play as many of the same brand and issue as they have! (In buying a guitar recently I did just this to weedle out the best one!) What I'm getting at is that Big Deal have a lot of great offers and some very nice prices, but be sure to test the item first and make sure it sings as well as it should. Unless you've naught the patience for all that, in which case, go enjoy a bargain!

Smiling, helpful, knowledgeable staff in a shop that is tiny and jam packed with so much electrical…read morestuff that is all looked like a black haze to me. If you need anything electrical from cables to speakers, turntables to laptops, guitars and lights they are likely to have it for a good price although this value seems to have decreased (i.e. prices have risen) since el crunchio. You get a three month guarantee with most items and part-exchanges are welcome. Many of my friends have happily purchased second-hand laptops from here (after a mass laptop theft) and all are happy with their purchases. Enjoy a tight-squeezed browse or just ask what you are after and the men will be glad to help.

Swathmore is a great place to learn new skills or hobbies after you leave formal education. It is…read morean education centre for adults that runs a number of courses all year round in things like arts, crafts, massage and singing that you can do for fun and don't have to have any experience in. Some courses cover things like healthy living, in Yoga and the Alexander technique. They offer the certified counseling courses and accredited computer courses. I have been to a few life drawing sessions there in the past run by an independent group who hired one of the rooms. The studio was big enough for everyone to have easels - there's nothing worse than trying to draw in a cramped space. A few years ago I took an aromatherapy and massage class run in the evening once a week. It was a great introduction to the practice. It was a women only group so we practiced on each other so I got massaged (as well as giving massages) every week! It was really good value for money as well. They offer concession rates on most courses, which aren't that expensive in the first place.

Situated in the romantic location of Woodhouse Square reminisce of a period of time filled with…read moregentlemen and ladies. Most of the buildings around the square of Georgian style and the area is but a little way from the centre of town. Such an unassuming building is home to a diverse range of courses aimed at improving skills and general wellbeing of adults in the Leeds area. Discounts are available on some courses for those receiving benefits so really valuable personal and work-life developments can be achieved. There are sewing courses, DIY, fine art, pottery, yoga, computing and English. The lists do go on and on. Swathmore follows the academic year pattern and there is a membership fee of 10 pounds for a year. It is easy to get to as the Leeds Free bus goes to Park Lane College which is just round the corner.