Leicester's Dry Dock pub earmarked for demolition

[davieG]

One of Leicester’s most distinctive pubs is set to be demolished as part of university expansion plans.

The Dry Dock in Putney Road falls within an area which the University of Leicester wants to redevelop as part of a £500 million vision.

The pub - a landlocked boat - is popular with students and Leicester City fans looking for somewhere to have a drink when the Foxes play at home.

However it does not feature in the university’s long term proposals for Freemen’s Common.

 

University bosses have revealed further details of what they intend for the seven acre site in documents lodged with Leicester City Council planners.

Freemen’s Common already has accommodation for 300 students in three-story blocks.

The university wants to flatten them and replace them with 900 rooms in blocks between four and 15 storeys high.

A 320 space university car park would be replaced with a 550 space multi-storey.

The existing Grade II Listed Freemen’s Cottages with be preserved and restored but a library store will be removed.

 

Some 9,000 square metres of new teaching facilities will be built in a five-storey block.

Large parts of the Freemen’s Commons area are wooded but the university says 70 per cent of those trees will have to be felled.

It insists most of the trees are in a poor condition and has outlined plans to replant some trees in what it describes as a ‘high quality’ public realm.

The Mercury has previously reported on the university’s wider plans to transform its campus and develop a ‘space park’ on land off Abbey Lane.

 

Director of estates and campus services Brita Sread said: “We’re committed to improving the quality of experience for all those who use our facilities be they students, staff or the public.

“As part of our new programme to transform our estate and ensure that we create a campus fit for the second century of our university, we plan to invest a further £500million over the next 10 years.

 

"Our ambition is to create an environment that truly supports teaching, research and an unrivalled student experience.

“To continue to succeed as a university and to contribute to Leicester’s growth in a very competitive world, further investment in the university’s campus is vital.

“While our plans are still at the early stages, we want to talk to a wide range of people to set out our vision and listen to their ideas and feedback.

"We will be working closely with our students and staff but we also want to engage with people across the city.”

The Mercury was unable to contact anyone from the Dry Dock.

[norwichfox]

This must not be allowed to happen, far too many pubs are disappearing......just get rid of more trees.

[ealingfox]

Pretty tenuous link to the club -should probs be in General Chat.

 

Never been the gaff myself.

[Simi]

Used to drink in there before games, but it's gone massively downhill in my opinion. Huge queues at the bar and they often have music playing over the football commentary at blistering levels.

[Voll Blau]

Heard it's not what it used to be, but would still be a massive shame.

[foxfanazer]

Another decent boozer gone. Although not been there for a couple of years

[Soar Fox]

5 minutes ago, norwichfox said:

This must not be allowed to happen, far too many pubs are disappearing......just get rid of more trees.

Pubs like this can go, shitholé student place with crap cheap beer. 

 

Its places like King Richard III and the swan & rushes we need to keep open.

[Grebfromgrebland]

This is actually a real shame it was a regular stop off on the way to the ground which had a nice social outdoor area for before and after the game.

 

This will be a loss for a lot of people who don't fancy the donkey or new road inn.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

8 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Another decent boozer gone. Although not been there for a couple of years

 

You can't bemoan the loss of a pub if you don't use it, surely that's why they close half the time?

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

9 minutes ago, Steve_Walsh5 said:

Pubs like this can go, shitholé student place with crap cheap beer. 

 

Its places like King Richard III and the swan & rushes we need to keep open.

 

Dry Dock used to be laugh and was good as a Scream pub for a cheap meal + pint but you're right it's terrible these days. No atmosphere, staff couldn't give a toss, food is pricier and no better than it was, selection of draughts is laughable and one of the fridges barely works so if you buy a bottle it's 50/50 whether it'll be cool or not. Flatten it.

[lestajigs]

29 minutes ago, norwichfox said:

This must not be allowed to happen, far too many pubs are disappearing......just get rid of more trees.

Or more students ?????

[foxfanazer]

49 minutes ago, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

You can't bemoan the loss of a pub if you don't use it, surely that's why they close half the time?

I don’t live in Leicester anymore 

[mozartfox]

No chance of Merson coming as the new Manager now.

[Kitchandro]

Still a good pub, and unique as well.

 

I hate students.

[ScouseFox]

the outside is great tbf 

[cambridgefox]

I always have a drink on The Donkey I assume that's the one nearly next door.

[Wymsey]

Might be going against the grain here, but feel there's too much university presence in Leicester.

A good example of this is where the Demontfort Business School is (ugly green premises, that looks odd against an old 100's year old building that is close by in the middle of a busy road).

 

Yes, it can (student premises) generate income for the area these commercial premises are located - but it takes away the usual tradition of many years, which is quite sad really.

[cambridgefox]

6 minutes ago, cambridgefox said:

I always have a drink on The Donkey I assume that's the one nearly next door.

Sometimes I also drink in it!!

[CosbehFox]

It's clear that the Scream chain have known something was on the cards for a while because they have literally let it rot. They haven't refurbished it like Soar Point or Bowling Green. 

 

I was last in there late March after one of our games. Didn't put the 5.30 kick off on and had music on so loud you couldn't hear each other. 

 

In its prime, the place was a brilliant for a drink in the summer 

[SemperEadem]

22 minutes ago, Kitchandro said:

Still a good pub, and unique as well.

 

I hate students.

I did think that until I walked into the same pub pretty much in Leeds.

[stripeyfox]

1 hour ago, Simi said:

Used to drink in there before games, but it's gone massively downhill in my opinion. Huge queues at the bar and they often have music playing over the football commentary at blistering levels.

This could just be you getting older....

[Bunyip]

1 hour ago, norwichfox said:

This must not be allowed to happen, far too many pubs are disappearing......just get rid of more trees.

Or get rid of more students. Who on earth decrees that here today gone tomorrow students accommodation should be allowed to dictate the shape and culture of our city? Students? bag of shite.

[norwichfox]

1 minute ago, Bunyip said:

Or get rid of more students. Who on earth decrees that here today gone tomorrow students accommodation should be allowed to dictate the shape and culture of our city? Students? bag of shite.

University Accountants......

[Ted Maul]

A lot of anger towards students over the closure of a bang average establishment. Students probably brought in 90% of the pub's income anyway!

 

Plenty of other places you can drink a pint of piss in generic surroundings with no atmosphere lads 

[Wymsey]

Heard a while ago (maybe on here) that the empty land next to the ground (often looked fenced-off) could be make into food kiosks such as McDonald's etc.

 

Is this still the case?