OUR latest York nostalgia collection focuses on a shop that sparked great interest, but was then very short-lived.

York children were abuzz with excitement when the bosses of the famous toy shop Hamley's announced they had chosen the old Leak & Thorpe site in Coney Street in York for its first shop outside London.

The store duly opened in 1987 but within months there were rumours it was going to close, and sure enough within a year it had gone. 

Hamleys does today have a small shop in York Designer Outlet. But what are your memories of the city-centre branch? The 12 photos above may jog a few memories...