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davieG

Is the City of Leicester a dump?

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On 29/11/2019 at 00:40, TheLittleBigMan said:

Used to be a great area to drink in. As soon as Natter Jacks opened things turned for worse imo. It seemed to bring more of your lager lout types in. Loaf shut down as trouble started happening for them because of it. Factor in the the giant Tesco's over shadowing everything it's just not the same anymore. 

That being said the west end brewery is nice little micro pub well worth the visit and the Black Horse and the Western are decent old english pubs, the latter of which has a nice open fire and bbq on match days.  :thumbup:

I'd be surprised if it wasn't all the bars and restaurants that opened in the Highcross that really affected the Braunstone Gate bars.

 

There's still a couple of good pubs but it can't really compete with the Highcross. It's more of a student area, though do students go out boozing as much as they used to?

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On 28/11/2019 at 17:33, Miquel The Work Geordie said:

 

The Pump & Tap closed just as I started going out, meant to be a decent gaff by all accounts. Didn't it have a back yard in one of the railway arches?

Didn't know Pi had closed, always thought it'd take enough trade and because it wasn't huge, would be safe enough.

OBar going down the drain seemed to finish the area off – I always loved Loaf too. West End Brewery wasn't bad on the one time I've been in but I'm not going to drag myself down that end of town for the sake of a 'not bad' gaff. 

I believe that's been done out and is now called The Dog House. I've only been on Saturday afternoons, seemed ok.

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Vic Berry's scrap yard, 1986

There were some proper dumps in Leicester in those days!

I remember it from the 70s when most of the Mk 1 coaches and DMUs in this video were still in active service, and Vic Berry's were scrapping the last of the pre-nationalisation coaching stock. There was some interestingly offensive graffiti in the derelict railway buildings on the other side of the Upperton Road, as well. Anyone else remember the ten foot high copper's helmet?

 

 

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20 hours ago, Filbert_Ross said:

Nah that’s where Loaf was. 
West End Brewery is old Looking Glass

Circa 1998-2002

 

Pump & Tap

Kingy road club

Rum runner

Leftbank

Black Horse

Mobius

Sumo

The O Bar

Loaf

Bar 66

Looking glass

 

All mostly busy pubs, all within 1/4 mile, Now THATS a pub crawl

 

Plenty more on Narborough road 

 

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It’s pretty sad that I’ve been of drinking age for 4 years and even I can say town was probably better for drinking when I’d just turned 18 (pub wise anyway). The Swan is a pale imitation of what it was, Criterion will probably follow the same fate and although I never went it my mates really rated The Font. King Richard III is too gastro these days too. At least we’ve gained TTL and The Blue Boar in that time 

 

Something that I really appreciate about LC is that for the most part we’ve managed to avoid wanky chains, St Peter’s sq aside. There’s no Pryzm or Player’s bar for the bellends to fester in 

Edited by Stadt
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I think what happened to the Swan was heinous, a real "paint everything grey and put some Prosecco mum quote vinyl wall decals up" job – but I never rated the interior (or the exterior) of the Criterion. I love places that are a bit worn but have some character, but that didn't have that - it didn't even feel like a pub, it felt like someones front room in the 80s. 
----
Be interesting to see what happens to the Exchange as I always felt that could have been loads better than it actually was.

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It was a bit of a hovel, no doubt. Had very good beer, pizzas were good, side room was perfect for a large group, had football on tv and a jukebox makes a pub better. City centre pubs are mostly characterless so losing there was a blow, supposedly it's not going to be too different from what it was but I cannot see why that'd make any sense

Edited by Stadt
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On 11/12/2019 at 10:54, RoboFox said:

Speaking of Bede Island... 

 

This:

 

1293245_ebd6bf6c781090091cc511162c8337c4.jpg

 

Replaced by this nondescript lego shit:

 

837264948_ScreenShot2019-12-11at10_52_25.thumb.png.b99ef60980c2f74a47525c3c3ad776cd.png

 

 

 

Kirby and West might have had a rather elegant building on Western Boulevard but their milk floats looked as though someone had cobbled them together in their garage.

In fact that is almost true because Kirby and West, although not a manufacturing company, actually 'designed' and built these things in their own workshops.

Pretty tough old things they were too. I once saw the aftermath of a collision between one of these and a Ford Capri. Needless to say the Capri came off much worse, losing most of its bonnet while the milk float had one small dent and a couple of scratches. Lots of broken glass and spilt milk all over the road too! 

 

7096971423_6c41beef15_b.jpg

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29 minutes ago, Heathrow fox said:

Even though I hadn’t been in it since about 1986,I really miss Fenwick's.Not only was it a grand old store but it feels like that area has been completely given up on now.Shop wise at least.It was also proof that Leicester actually had a few quid floating around,once upon a time.

Market st is frustratingly desolate these days, it's not as if it's miles out of the way.

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4 hours ago, Footballwipe said:

Well, I mean you've expertly encapsulated why Fenwick's isn't there anymore with the first part of your sentence.

 

I always remember the outcry on Leicester Mercury's articles when it closed. So many devastated and yet I'd put my mortgage that most of them hadn't set foot in there for years. Until they had a closing down sale, then the Vulchers flocked in for 60% off.

 

It is always quite hilarious seeing the obsessed men and women lose their heads about Soulsby on Facebook's comments section whenever something regarding the city centre is reported, though. 

Sadly I’m now at the age where I’d actually use the place now ☹️

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7 hours ago, Footballwipe said:

Well, I mean you've expertly encapsulated why Fenwick's isn't there anymore with the first part of your sentence.

 

I always remember the outcry on Leicester Mercury's articles when it closed. So many devastated and yet I'd put my mortgage that most of them hadn't set foot in there for years. Until they had a closing down sale, then the Vulchers flocked in for 60% off.

 

It is always quite hilarious seeing the obsessed men and women lose their heads about Soulsby on Facebook's comments section whenever something regarding the city centre is reported, though. 

Does my head in when old c unts moan about places like Brucciani’s going but then they say they’ve not been into town for years 

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The odd thing is the bottom of New Walk / King's St has had places survive for ages (hairdressers, food places, pubs / bars) – I don't get why Market St is so barren especially when it connects so many parts of the town and is as central as anywhere. It's a relatively decent street to walk down too - even if more places opened it could easily handle the footfall without being overcrowded.

 

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13 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

Anyone else intrigued how the grand Central redevelopment will turn out? 

 

Apparently a new restaurant has taken a tenancy in one unit. Potentially an upbeat area with the Novotel, student flats and friars mill office blocks

The problem is the more and further they develop this area the more deserted the centre of town up to the station becomes so much so that it seems like the station is out of town. Ironic considering the development is of the old station.

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21 minutes ago, davieG said:

The problem is the more and further they develop this area the more deserted the centre of town up to the station becomes so much so that it seems like the station is out of town. Ironic considering the development is of the old station.

Soulsby was desperate for that Asian willy puller who owns that huge office block to sell, so it could be flattened and then face the station towards the Charles Street cop shop bringing more immediacy to curve area

 

But of course, he wouldn't sell and instead deliberately vandalized the block with that colour scheme.

 

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10 hours ago, Stadt said:

Does my head in when old c unts moan about places like Brucciani’s going but then they say they’ve not been into town for years 

It’s equally the responsibility of the younger generation to patronise these kind of places….  Sorry (assuming you’re younger?). That you didn’t get to check it out…. I’ve happy childhood memories, of the ice cream sodas, that I would’ve liked to shared with my kids….

 

18 hours ago, Footballwipe said:

Well, I mean you've expertly encapsulated why Fenwick's isn't there anymore with the first part of your sentence.

 

I always remember the outcry on Leicester Mercury's articles when it closed. So many devastated and yet I'd put my mortgage that most of them hadn't set foot in there for years. Until they had a closing down sale, then the Vulchers flocked in for 60% off.

 

It is always quite hilarious seeing the obsessed men and women lose their heads about Soulsby on Facebook's comments section whenever something regarding the city centre is reported, though. 

Great shop…. I continue to sleep on the bed I brought from there 5 years ago…   Great service and good deals too…

 

use it before you lose it…. Huge shame…

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2 hours ago, Wolfox said:

It’s equally the responsibility of the younger generation to patronise these kind of places….  Sorry (assuming you’re younger?). That you didn’t get to check it out…. I’ve happy childhood memories, of the ice cream sodas, that I would’ve liked to shared with my kids….

 

Great shop…. I continue to sleep on the bed I brought from there 5 years ago…   Great service and good deals too…

 

use it before you lose it…. Huge shame…

I’m presuming the actual chain is still doing ok.When they closed ours they opened one in Bracknell.To be the flagship store of the Towns multimillion £ redevelopment.

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14 hours ago, Stadt said:

Does my head in when old c unts moan about places like Brucciani’s going but then they say they’ve not been into town for years 

I haven’t actually lived in Leicester for nearly 20 years.On my frequent ish visits home I would always make an effort to go into Brucci’s though.Always the one next to Marks.Still sad it’s gone.However the food was getting a bit samie+it was quite expensive to be fair.

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