Around The Clock is more than just a convenience store. Of course, it does sell the items you would…read moreexpect to find, a healthy selection of magazines, and a wide range of snacks and sweets. However, the staff at this branch on the Headrow are so friendly. My dad was recently in Leeds on business and he had forgotten to bring any toothpaste with him. Sure, people remind you never to forget your toothbrush, but where is the same warning for its matching paste? An oversight. We were going for a few drinks at Mr Foley's and supper at Tampopo, when we made the detour into Around The Clock to remedy the problem. My dad politely asked the guy behind the counter of its whereabouts, and the three men who were serving in the shop started singing an impromptu rap-cum-song about toothpaste! An excellent moment in the day. After being touched by their camaraderie, we bought a few other items, and left feeling uplifted and amused in equal measures. The performances are not scheduled, but do pop in any time for brilliant customer service of a well stocked local shop.

This rating has nothing to do with the staff, sandwiches or general merchandise. The owner of this…read morebusiness needs to do something; be open "around the clock" or change the name!

At last! The British weather finally matches the lovely sunny greeting that is always waiting for…read moreyou within! If any store keeper/retail outlet wants to know the real meaning of customer service then this is where they need to visit. I just popped in for a drink and some chewing gum and stayed a good 5 minutes talking. The owners really do have the right attitude. A big old 5 stars!!

High prices and a very restricted selection (understandable given the size of the shop), but the…read morestaff are friendly and helpful.

Though just one of a large chain of One Stop's selling similar products, there are a few points…read moreworth mentioning that make this one stand out for me. Firstly they sell a wide range of nuts and dried fruit for a healthy snack, or for a life-saving recipe ingredient...if somehow you found yourself in the same position as me when I had trailed around similar shops for hours in the freezing cold looking for dried fruit and nuts for a particular recipe...(gluten and dairy free fudge-type treat for a friend with a few allergies!) And they sell Lindt 70% cocoa chocolate, which I believe to be dairy-free, and was also an essential ingredient in the aforementioned recipe mission from hell! They also have a FREE cash machine! Yes!

Oh dear. My relationship with this One-Stop has come to a bitter end. It started well enough,…read morebecause they happened to be open one Saturday night when I was in dire need of 12 cans of Carlsberg, and the evening culminated in me kissing Hot Steve and that was dead nice, so I did have fond memories of this garishly-coloured convenience store. Then we came here last Sunday at about 5 o'clock and didn't get to leave til half past because of the ridiculously incompetent staff. We only wanted bread and milk, but were queuing for twenty minutes (I sh*t you not). There were two guys on the tills, and ever single transaction seemed to require the consultation of the other till person. It was amazing to watch. Sort of like car crash TV. Everyone in the queue was huffing and puffing and tutting and tapping their feet. Including me. And that, dear reader, is why I shall go to Bargain Booze instead in future.

If you are addicted to biscuits, crisps and snacking in general, Ross's is a great place to stock…read moreup. They always have deals on, for example, 3x packs of custard creams for a quid. They sell all things snack based, including a fine selection of old favourite biscuits, multipacks of crisps, multipacks of tea, coffee and tinned goods too. Overall, it is a lot cheaper than going down your supermarket for such things and paying twice the price. Also, everything he sells are popular and famous brands.

This newsagents was mighty handy when I spent days in the library as a student. They are…read moreessentially a newsagents selling cigarettes, papers, sweets and drinks but they also sold things I might want in study-breaks like yoghurts, cottage cheese or a muffin. The little pot of yoghurts are so cheap and if you ask they will give you a spoon too! It gets busy around lunch time but that's to be expected in any of the shops opposite the Parkinson Building. There is a big sign in front of the newspapers proclaiming that the shop is not a library, which always amused me as the space to read them is so narrow anyone attempting this would be put off by all the other customers barging past - something I have witnessed. Its a good place to pick up phone credit if like me you still have a pay-as-you-go mobile for fear of commitment to a contract and the guys working in their are pretty friendly especially if you're a regular.

Roundhay Convenience Store is one of those shops that makes you feel conspicuous as soon as you go…read morein. Maybe they're used to familiar local faces and aren't particularly good at welcoming strangers. It sells the standard range of groceries and kitchen cupboard essentials, as well as toiletries, crisps, sweets, chocolate, drinks, newspapers and magazines. They also have a small range of greetings cards and sell cigarettes and alcohol beghind the counter - the booze being mainly spirits. It is well stocked and would probably serve the needs of the locals reasonably well. When I left I said 'thanks, bye' and received no reply. Cheers. But I think the star I'm going to knock off for rudeness will have to be replaces by a star for being open 24-7! That's some dedication for such a modest local shop!

Yum Yum is a useful place to have in the vicinity. I used to frequent it regularly when I lived in…read moreBrewery Wharf. The deli section sells a full menu of sandwiches, soups, cakes and a delicious selection of hot specials. I had a very tasty red Thai curry with jasmine rice just recently. There is a seating area both inside and outdoors to eat at. They serve a lifesaving full English breakfast at a reasonable price, and can be responsible for reactivating your brain, following a night out. The other side of Yum Yum is a convenience store, selling fresh fruit and vegetables, pastries, tinned goods, various snacks and a range of wines and beers. They are significantly overpriced, but that is the cost of convenience. I also think their nearby rival Simpsons stock a far better range of products. All in all, it is a useful place to have around, but there are superior alternatives in the area.

My options for lunch aren't very inspiring; go to the effort of making my own, a generic…read moresupermarket sanger or risk the cafe at work where I wonder wether the staff have ever seen a sandwich (No, judging by some of the efforts produced...). The saviour of so many lunchtimes has been Yum's. They never fail to have something interesting on offer. There are usually several hot options such as pasta bake, burritos and a roast pork baguettes and a couple of really good sandwich specials. Highlights for me have included pulled pork with salad and chipotle mayo and ham, smoked cheese and onion marmalade both on sourdough baguettes. The footling hotdog was also a touch. You can also have your own sandwich made, they have loads of filling options and the cakes look awesome- its like subway if subway sold proper food! They do a large range of American sweets and drinks although every other shop in Leeds seems to offer these now. Yum's also have a massive selection of beers and I believe they open for dinner in the evenings doing pizza etc, if I lived at brewery wharf I wouldn't need to go anywhere else! They are a little expensive when you consider a meal deal at Sainsbury's is three quid but what you get is vastly superior. One of their daily special sandwiches and a can of coke will set you back about a fiver which is pretty good as you'll get something really tasty you will actually enjoy!

This is a tiny little shop right at the bottom of the market near the doors to the outdoor market…read more It sells sweets, crisps, chocolate and drinks. Drinks include a fridge-full of sugary pop and also a coffee machine that makes coffee, mocha and hot chocolate. It's really a treat shop, selling the junk food section of a newsagent without the kitchen cupboard essentials. Great if you're in the area and have a bit of a sugar craving, or need a caffeine hit and you're not too picky when it comes to coffee - and for 65p for a large coffee you can't really complain. Due to the size of the shop however, there isn't a great deal of choice so if you can only stomach sea salt and coarse ground black pepper Kettle Chips or Green & Blacks' Maya Gold then you're unlikely to be a fan of Take a Break!

Co-Op Food on Merrion Way is a pretty new store, it is in the Leeds Arena' Quarter, and also to the…read moreMerrion Quarter shopping centre, the store still looks and feels new and modern, despite opening around a year ago. It follows the new Co-Op look and layout, which I feel looks much fresher and cleaner. The location is good for the city centre, I'm not sure about the policy at the Arena, but this could be a great place to grab some drinks and snacks nearby, without paying hefty prices once you get inside ready for your event. The store is pretty small, I wasn't able to find all of the items I was looking for, which I can find at my usual stores in Manchester, there was also a lack of staff around the store with many of them loitering around the checkout area, appearing to be disinterested, the store wasn't too busy at the time so I can understand that but staff members should always be on hand and not appear unapproachable to the customer. 3*