Match Day Pubs - Past and Present

[Trav Le Bleu]

4 minutes ago, TheLittleBigMan said:

The Westerns got to the pot these days. Used be the best in the west end for pre match beers but the current owners have turned it in to a karaoke bar with bouncers on the door. Half the time it's not even open. Think Everards are trying to get rid of them but they're on fixed contract unfortunately. 

I don't doubt it. Haven't been there for decades.

Given the demographic of Narborough Rd now, it's no surprise, though in fairness there was a huge Asian community around that area when we used to go in the 80s - nothing new.

Edited 2 July by Trav Le Bleu

[PAULCFC]

It's a shame what's happened to The Western......used to be a pool table and dart board at the side room and a big screen to watch the early kick off before going to our game.I think they tried to make it a bit too upmarket with the coffee shop type of thing and alieanated a few regulars(me included!)I think the 2 women on the door counting people in and out was the last straw for me(I'm sure they were the same 2 at the Peel) It was definately better when it was tied to Steaming Billy.

Edited 4 July by PAULCFC
grammer

[PutneyFox]

9 hours ago, PAULCFC said:

It's a shame what's happened to The Western......used to be a pool table and dart board at the side room and a big screen to watch the early kick off before going to our game.I think they tried to make it a bit too upmarket with the coffee shop type of thing and alieanated a few regulars(me included!)I think the 2 women on the door counting people in and out was the last straw for me(I'm sure they were the same 2 at the Peel) It was definately better when it was tied to Steaming Billy.

Loved that pub. I used to drink in there late 80s, early 90s, as I lived on Danvers Road at the time. Great gaffer called Fred used to run it. Sunday lock-ins between 3pm & 7pm & his missus would make sarnies for a "private party " 😄 & no money paid behind the till until reopened at 7pm. Great times. The upstairs part used to be the pool room. Had a couple of tables up there.

[J. James]

As I moved out of the city in the mid 80's, I am amazed how many of the great pubs I knew as a kid (with parents) and as a young 'un have gone. 

 

Being brought up on Pindar rd, The pubs on Woodgate were my Dads favorites, they have all gone.

 

My pre match was a few games of snooker at the 'pool WMC - my mate always insisted on playing penny a point, and he always lost- then walk to the game, never ever had a ticket, always paid on the turnstile, usually with my mates dosh!

 

I can't work out if Leicester is unique in so many disappearing or if we had more than other cities to begin with.

[burleighfox]

On 01/07/2026 at 10:12, TheUltimateWinner said:

Can't help but think that a place like Dry Dock would thrive even more nowadays!

[Scanchez]

4 minutes ago, burleighfox said:

Can't help but think that a place like Dry Dock would thrive even more nowadays!

There's one just like it in Leeds near the universities and it's still really popular!

[Stadt]

8 hours ago, burleighfox said:

Can't help but think that a place like Dry Dock would thrive even more nowadays!

Pretty much all pubs are struggling but it’s worse in Leicester because most of the population aren’t pub drinkers. 

[DEMANN]

The Western is closing towards the end of this month.

Edited Tuesday at 23:04 by DEMANN

[Narborough Road Fox]

13 hours ago, DEMANN said:

The Western is closing towards the end of this month.

It was my local for years but we had to stop going. Awful beer and karaoke. 

[Officer Doofy]

14 hours ago, DEMANN said:

The Western is closing towards the end of this month.

Been neglected for too long 

[SemperEadem]

Has it changed hands since half of it was turned into a cafe/deli?

[PAULCFC]

1 hour ago, Narborough Road Fox said:

It was my local for years but we had to stop going. Awful beer and karaoke. 

Yes.....went right downhill after Steamin Billy left,just the normal Everards stuff on tap.

[TheLittleBigMan]

1 hour ago, SemperEadem said:

Has it changed hands since half of it was turned into a cafe/deli?

Yeah it has. They got rid of the cafe which we all thought would get it back to being decent, but the new lot ruined it with the karaoke, bouncers on the door and crap beer. Was the best pub in the west end at one point.

[TheLittleBigMan]

17 hours ago, DEMANN said:

The Western is closing towards the end of this month.

Any idea if it's changing landlord's or everads selling up? If that twat Jamie Lewis gets it i'll be fuming. That code building looks like he hired someone with a career in designing caravans.    

[DEMANN]

1 hour ago, TheLittleBigMan said:

Any idea if it's changing landlord's or everads selling up? If that twat Jamie Lewis gets it i'll be fuming. That code building looks like he hired someone with a career in designing caravans.    

 

[TheLittleBigMan]

23 minutes ago, DEMANN said:

 

So just the landlords leaving? Not selling?

[DEMANN]

24 minutes ago, TheLittleBigMan said:

So just the landlords leaving? Not selling?

I don’t know. I live nearby, and the word on the streets for the past few weeks has been that it’s closing - now confirmed.

[westernpark]

1 hour ago, DEMANN said:

 

The fact it is called the Western ‘Bar’ sums up how badly run it has been. Incredibly eggy pints.

[davieG]

On 01/07/2026 at 10:54, davieG said:

[Plastik Man]

On 07/07/2026 at 15:39, Scanchez said:

There's one just like it in Leeds near the universities and it's still really popular!

I was at Uni in Leeds when that one opened. Very early 90s. It predated the one in Leicester. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

6 hours ago, davieG said:

Walk past it on my way in, always thought it looked like a proper boozer. Never known it be open, when did it close?

[davieG]

14 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Walk past it on my way in, always thought it looked like a proper boozer. Never known it be open, when did it close?

https://pubhistoryproject.co.uk/2018/10/19/bedford-hotel-victory-21-aylestone-rd/

 

The Bedford, the one at the back became the Victory after the Tigers won a cup or league. 

 

It had an outside space down the side when there a few times in Mon era

 

Like many others the pub fell into decline in the late 1990s and beyond, resulting in it only being open on match days for the Rugby and football.

In 2012, saw the local hospital buy the pub with a plan to demolish – like its previous neighbour the old Freemans Arms – to make more hospital car parking.

 

https://pubhistoryproject.co.uk/2018/10/18/freemans-arms-physio-firkin-the-phizz-pride-of-leicester-19-aylestone-rd/

 

The Freeman's Arms change a few times never used it much was The Phizz, followed the Physio & Firkin c.2002.  It was mainly a gay bar and was short-lived over a year, before changing it again to the Pride of Leicester.

 

June 2005, the Pride of Leicester was put up for auction by the owners Punch Taverns with a clause that it was to be sold with a covenant that it could not be used in future as licensed premises. This paved the way for the nearby Hospital Trust to make a successful offer, demolishing the building to be made into a parking lot for the hospital.