St John's clearly used to be quite a well to do opponent for the Merion Centre it sits across the road from.. I suppose it still is competition, but as a whole, both centres probably once were the hip hop and happening undercovered shopping precincts for the masses in Leeds. As times have moved on, as they inevitably do, they now cater for the lower end of the market, littered with lower priced clothing stores and pound shops. I may sound negative, but in actual fact, theres something quite reassuring about having an entire centre devoted to cheaper living, rather than focussing on quality. The typical high street stores such as Dorothy Perkins and Topshop are there, but you can't help but feel that as the years roll by, they're being pushed closer and closer to the back door, till eventually they up sticks and leave, moving to a better location.. The decor is shabby, and hardly inviting, but Rahcael is right when she says it's the shops inside these centres that make or break them.. It's saving grace has to be Jumbo, the independent record shop upstairs, selling gig tickets and records..every cloud, as they say! read more