Absolutely amazing service! Such a lovely woman and highly knowledgeable…read more Joanne got me out of a very sticky situation. I desperatly needed a dress taking in for a very short notice wedding and i had 4 days to get it done. Amazingly she had it done within a couple of hours. When i collected the dress the next day, it was an absolutely perfect fit you cant even tell its been altered, very professional work! I will upload a picture after the wedding its being worn at. I would highly recommend and i will defiantly be using her services again. I will be reccomending her to everyone that requires a seamstress. I cannot thankyou enough Joanne I appreciate everything you have done :)

I bought 2 dresses from boohoo one was too baggy and one had a very long split which was too…read morerevealing. Joanne made a seam to make the dress not open and stay in place and took in the other dress. Both done at high standard. Beautifully sewn, fit perfect and was done by the next day. Excellent service...

Would it be wrong to make the swooping statement that I think this is the best place I have ever…read morebeen? Probably, as it wouldn't be true, but Express Alterations is fantastic. Sat in the bottom end of the market, this unit, complete with door to keep the cold out, offers alterations for ill fitting clothes. Needs anything taken up or in? For around a fiver you can get it done here. If you think a fiver is a little steep, imagine just destroying the item altogether if you're not a dab-hand at needle work! I think these places are the gems of the market, offering a service that people often overlook. Brilliant.

To my dismay, express alterations has closed down now. This is a real shame. Not only was it good…read morevalue for money, offered a excellent service, but the people were really friendly. I'm sure it will be sadly missed, by myself and lots of other people. I just hope that this is not a pattern we will see for other businesses on the market.

Do not use this dry cleaners. Not only we're they 25 mins late opening, the people running it are…read moreincredibly rude, I was verbally abused and physically intimidated in their shop.

Please would you give me a quote on a long summer dress that needs 1 1/2inches taking up its…read morestretchy material though I can't do it I've got arthritic fingers and may I bring in weds morning please many thanks Jane Tyrrell

Excellent service!! They have the best tailor in Leeds in…read moremy opinion. Perfect with everything, my jacked sleeves alteration, trousers, price and timing ! I couldn't be more thankful. You have saved my Christmas Party :) Thank you

This woman is a genius with a sewing machine and her prices are much better than chain alterations…read moreplaces like Johnsons. I've had pockets reinforced on suit trousers which only cost £2. My girlfriend had a dress taken in for a wedding which cost £10. At first she thought the dress hadn't been taken in enough, but after she'd eaten a 3 course wedding breakfast she realised it was just right. The lady at stitches is also a broker for a specialist dry cleaners so you can leave dry cleaning there to be sent away. Stitches is only open until 2 on a Saturday and closed on Sunday.

when i need alterations on my clothes then i always come to…read morefast stitch as its cheap and done within the hour . gives me time to do my shopping and come back before i go home and ready for the nite out. prices are quite resonable to compared to johnsons which am afraid is double the price for the same work.

Hmm, what to say, what to say..?…read more Well, for once let's keep it brief and to the point*. I was looking for somewhere to add two inside pockets to my Del Boy** style coat (seeing as the makers had inconsiderately neglected to fit them at the point of manufacture). Let's be honest here, you can't just have outside pockets - all manner of things can fall out..wallet, phone, mp3 player, tape measure, Rennie, miniature sowing kit.. Anyway. Enough about what goes into my TARDIS pockets : ) Inside pockets are a necessity. That's a given for a man. I don't care what anyone says. A man's pockets are his own private kingdom. So, I needed somewhere to fit them for me, given my own haberdasherial limitations. I had a look online for tailors in Leeds & called several places. Vena Tailors in Leeds Kirkgate Market were just over half the price of the second lowest quote I obtained (£16 as opposed to a marginally more princely (or at least Viscountly) £30). As you can imagine, I was rather impressed with this as, well, it's January so the coffers aren't as full as usual after the Christmas & New Year binge! I took the coat in & left it with them. I collected it today (after a 3 working day waiting time - it's a fairly big job. Believe me, I've looked at doing it myself and immediately baulked at the thought!). To be honest, I would thoroughly recommend Vena Tailors - an excellent job was done for a very reasonable price. The two ladies who served me were very friendly and polite. I think it's a family business (I might be wrong, but that was my Columbo-esque hunch..), which is a refreshing thing to see and use in these days of inescapable national/international chains and big businesses running the "little guy" out of town - etc etc.. (I think I've watched Norman Wisdom's "The Early Bird" too many times..) ; ) *steps down from the soapbox but sticks to the recommendation* It isn't the easiest place to find (in Leeds market, not far from the pet shop located towards (but not at) the back of the indoor market) but it's definitely a hidden gem and well worth using if you need an alteration/pocket or two fitting. I was certainly glad that I used them to (clears throat and affects Ron Moody (Fagin from the hit musical "Oliver") impression) pick a pocket or two : ) Well, fit a pocket or two. You've got to fit a pocket or two-oo. Does that still fit the melody? ; ) *This is brief for me. Honestly. **No, really. Nice and cool Trig, nice and cool.. RIP Trig : (

Vena is in the Leeds indoor market and is not the easiest of plces to find if you get disorientated…read morelike me! When I found it I handed over a shapeless vintage dress in the hope that it would be transformed into a well fitting garement. I had a brief consultation with the woman there about what I wanted and that was it. My dress would be ready to collect in a few days time. I was happy with the end results as the dress was finished to a high standard. The elasticated waist band had been removed, the long sleeves had been altered in to cute little puff sleeves and the hem line on the skirt had been taken up. For £20 I have got a dress that I will wear a lot! So if you want something re-vamped and you don't have the know how or the time then it's definately worth checking out.

I was introduced to this place recently and I think it's going to solve a lot of problems for me…read more Outwardly, it's a gorgeous little stall in the market that hosts a number of beautifully tailored items. Hand made dresses in a number of prom styles, gorgeous fabric, beautiful detailing and wonderful beading. The stall is reasonably large, so there's plenty of lovely girly items to browse, and my magpie eyes are always open to such temptation, and there's no end to the sparkle in this lovely space. But, the interesting detail for me is that the lady who runs the stall apparently has a lot of tailoring talent. I mean, that's evident from the items on display alone. But my friend, who showed me the stall, mentioned that someone she knew had given the stall owner a dress that she wanted to save and the stall owner managed to craft a perfect replica! Now, this is obviously not something I've yet to test out myself, but being one with a plethora of unfinished projects, I intend to try this out. I've so many items that need taking in, old clothes that are too far gone to save but could be made using the original as a blueprint, that I will be back... And hopefully with a whole new wardrobe!

Leeds Store - Terrible experience and customer service. I went in with 2 jackets and a pair of…read moretrousers. The trousers I just wanted shortening a few inches. I put them on and they quickly pinned them in place on me, didn't get me to move around or sit down and check where they had pinned it and that it was at the correct length, or measure me. They ended up making them too short and I had to return to get them lengthened again: Now they are only just long enough, with to no spare fabric on the hem. The blue jacket I wanted advice on how to make it fit perfectly. Again they quickly pinned them in place whilst on me and said I needed material taking in at the top back and letting out at the bottom. I enquired about the length and they said they couldn't do anything about the length despite agreeing it was too long. This ended up being the only item I wasn't disappointed with. The grey jacket was again pinned quickly, as though they were in a rush, and I was told again I needed material taking off the top back but also that the shoulders needed reducing. The shoulders on both jackets were the same width, so why did one need shoulder adjustments and the other not? After their first adjustment of the grey jacket the material ruched around the shoulders when I put it on. They said they would sort it out and to come back a day later to collect it, and they would call me if they had any problems. My partner went in the next day to tell them I couldn't make it that day and they informed her they had done nothing to the jacket as the tailor had to see me in it to see the problem. I had received no phone call to inform me of this. I went in to have it fitted by the tailor, who pinned it in place, and finally they took their time, assessing the jacket and how it fit. They did not get me to move in the jacket or do anything other than stand in place. When I returned to collect the jacket the problem had been reduced but not solved, and I was informed that was the best they could do. They charged me extra for the second alteration, despite it being their fault and in total for the 1 jacket it was £80!! To top off the cheek, the woman taking my payment said "we haven't charged you for adjusting the trousers a second time", when they were only correcting their mistake. I had to return to this store 5 times in one week costing a fortune in parking charges, wasting my time, with bad communication and pretty shoddy workmanship. I am now left with 1 jacket too long and too large on the shoulders, 1 pair of trousers that are barely long enough and my wedding jacket ruching and not fitting snugly. I would avoid using this company at all costs, but if you do use them do not be pressured by their customer service and ensure you try on everything after having it tailored (they will actively encourage you to rush out the door with it, without having tried it on - I wonder why).

This review is certainly overdue, but there it is. A few months back I took a velvet dress to…read morestitches to be fixed up, since it was a little large for me and needed taking in. My initial appointment was great, really quick - I tried it on, we discussed how it would look best, and got it pinned. The staff are friendly, and listened to what I pictured for the dress, and it was really easy and simple. They said the turn around could be a few days. I came back (late) about a week later as my brain is like a sieve and they had it all fixed up. I tried it on and it fit beautifully, with everything as I'd hoped. I seem to recall they're cash only, and it was about £30 or so, which seems fair considering there was a fair amount of alteration. (The fabric is thick velvet, and I don't think it was a simple job given where the buttons etc are.) Everyone who worked there was enamoured of the dress when it was brought out, which felt like a lovely touch - they had all fallen in love with the dress! In any case, the job was really well done, and I'm pleased that I got it fixed up. Brilliant!

Everyone has the odd item that unfortunately claims to be 'dry clean only'. Massively irritating…read more The worst thing about these dry clean garments is that they are usually the most expensive ones. So, you spend £100 or so on a garment, and then you need to spend more each time you use it! For the most part, I try to get away with washing them as usual. But there are those stubborn items which just need to be dry cleaned. So, having finally become decadent enough to own some of these items, I decided to have them dry cleaned. My Mum was staying and she offered to drop them off at Johnsons - I think mostly for the novelty of the fact that it is a drive through dry cleaners! It could not have been more simple. She dropped them in, and the friendly lady processed the order and said that they would be ready the next day. Simple as that, the next day she went to collect them and they were as good as new! I suppose the only criticism would be that it is (obviously) easier for car owners to get to, but it is at least on the main Headingley bus route. Other than that, good prices, good efficient service, job done!

Johnsons is a chain of dry cleaners but the one on Headingley Lane has the added bonus of being…read moredrive in! Perfect if you pass it on the way to work in the city centre. I am not quite grown up enough to simultaneously own a car, an item of clothing that requires dry cleaning and have a job that requires driving into town but it is still a pretty convenient location for those rogue items that are 'dry clean only'. The service is quick, returning the items good as new the next day!