Originally a coal mining area, the collieries of much of east Leeds and surrounding areas closed in the 1960s, although further south mining was still strong in the 1990s and is still prevalent to some degree today. Garforth has increasingly become a commuter town for Leeds, York & City of Wakefield area. There is a light industrial estate to the north of the village which provides some employment, such as Ginetta Cars, while the neighbouring Thorpe Business Park in Colton also provides employment. Garforth's rail connections and access to the M1, A1(M) and M62 have made it a desirable area for commuters to live. Amenities Garforth's amenities are similar to some towns in the City of Leeds, such as Otley and Wetherby. Garforth has a Tesco, and a Lidl supermarket, the Original Factory Shop department store, several public houses in the town centre, a Co-operative, Greggs, Dominoes, Budgens, Costa, Subway, and other shops such as newsagents, charity shops, travel agents and banks. Garforth civic amenities include a library and a one stop centre run by Leeds City Council. A coffee shop on Main Street functions partly as a social enterprise, giving its profits to projects in the village. There are also a number of take away food outlets. The lively Garforth Community Choir was formed in October 2015 and meets at Garforth Academy on Wednesdays at 7.00 pm, in school term time. Garforth has ten traditional public houses, a mix of restaurants/cafes/wine bars, and a number of social/affiliated clubs. The pubs/bars are the Miller and Carter Steakhouse (formerly the Old George), the Gaping Goose, the Crusader, the Podger, Quirky Ales (Microbrewery), the Newmarket Inn / Saffron, the Miners Arms, the Lord Gascoigne (Hungry Horse), the Fly Line (Marstons), The Yard, Jigger & Jar, Blake's Bar, The Assembly and the Briggate (Wetherspoons), the latter which takes its name from the original term for Garforth Main Street, where it is situated on the premises of the former Liberal Club. Most of the public houses sell food. A large garden centre is situated on the A63 heading out of Garforth towards Micklefield. The East Side Retail Park has a Lidl, Home Bargains, Clip and Climb, Sue Ryder Charity Shop, Greggs a Vets Surgery and the Fly Line Pub and Restaurant. There are two indoor play areas for children and a large skatepark. Garforth also plays home to two brass bands, both of which