Best Kept Secret

Best Kept Secret is hardly the most appealing business when viewed from a distance due to the fact that it is located inside an defunct petrol station building. Because of this, the grimy forecourt serves as the car-park and the shop itself has a rather mouldy quality. But, as you'll go here to buy clothes you'll only wear once, none of this is really important.

BKS has a fairly wide selection of full outfits (doctor, nurse, policeman... MC Hammer) at prices which are much cheaper than those you will find online. Speaking of the internet, Best Kept Secret's website is actually quite accessible, and shows you the items the store has in stock, as well as letting you buy online at store prices.

The store also stocks a large selection of unattached accessories that can be used to make your outfit more quirky (wigs, glasses, hats etc) meaning that it gives potential Otley-runners plenty of scope to create a unique outfit. Look like a fool for cheaper!

Best Kept Secret really is crammed with thousands of costumes and accessories but unfortunately, none of them were what I was looking for!

I found the staff to be unhelpful and quite rude. It may have been stress seen as though the shop was packed out with customers wanting to try on outfits in the one and only cubicle...

The prices are fine, the accessories are in their masses and there absolutely loads of tacky costume choice.

The only thing I liked was that they stocked some Leg Avenue ranges and had a lot of their hoisery available. All at cheaper prices than the internet stores.

As mentioned before, Otley runners will have a field day in here but sadly, you will see about ten replicas of yourself on the way around...

Best Kept Secret used to be a petrol station. It was then one of those hand car washes, and for the past couple of years it's been empty and just looked like a right eyesore.


Then someone had the bright idea of covering the place in black signs and painting sexy pirate ladies on the wall and putting a party shop inside instead! Clever!


I've been driving past 'BKS' for about four months, thinking 'oh my god, how tacky, how do they get any business, it looks like you'd get herpes just walking through the door', but then, a month ago, I decided to hold a Halloween party and started thinking about costumes, and after much internet browsing, it turned out I had to come here to get my Cruella de Ville dress and wig. I went to try it all on yesterday, and after finding my way around six perma-tanned hungover student ladies trying to fight over the sluttiest nurse/kitty/bunny/policewoman outfit, I succeeded. The staff were helpful, if a little keen, and the outfit was a bargain at £23.50. I even got some free party cannon things that apparently make a right mess so I'll not be using them on Friday, but the thought was there.


The only trouble with this place is the smell of damp. Other than that, rummage through costumes to your heart's content. Plenty of accessories too -I almost bought some Billy Bob teeth and a 70s cop sunglasses and moustache set just for the hell of it, but I was in a hurry so they're still there waiting for me


Great for Otley-runners on a budget. Although I hate Otley-runners with a passion and if you're one of them and you get in my way or are just generally annoying and noisy while I'm trying to get on with my shopping/drinking/mooching, it's going to piss me off and I'll have a sh*t day. So don't. Thanks.

Having just described the wonderful costume hire department of the West Yorkshire Playhouse as one of Leeds' 'best kept secrets' in another review, it seems ironic that this far inferior establishment has chosen to name itself after this accolade. Further irony is provided by its location: situated rather unsecretively in an old petrol station and fronted by fifteen foot billboards of scantily clad women. A secret it is not, as the plague-like proportions of students who cram in here before every Halloween, Christmas and Saturday night will testify. I - rather naively, I admit - visited the day of Halloween to pick up some last minute accessories and was confronted by grumpy staff, crowded, disorganised rows of costumes of the prepackaged, ebay ilk and very little else. Admittedly, the 'ready made' costumes were cheaper than I've seen elsewhere, but anyone looking to create a look with a bit of individuality will be disappointed by the limited, predictable accessories on offer. This place will always be popular with Otley runners looking to be a sexy nurse or Elvis for the night, and it will continue to adequately fulfil their needs at a relatively reasonable price. But if you want to stand out from the crowd, I'd recommend you look elsewhere.