Leicester - discussion, decent bars etc

[Jeff Robinson]

Got set upon by some feral youths on New Walk last night. Surrounded by the hooded and masked shits I was - one of them kicked me in the hip and it's sore and bruised today. Hey ho. Went to Superfly on Kings Road - it was alright I suppose.

 

[a_chap]

Pity I let my Student hunting licence lapse, I could have bagged a few with me 12 bore. Anyway I didn't know Leicester had a Kings Road. A King Richards Road, yes. But they knocked half of that down when I was a kid.

 

[Jeff Robinson]

That should have read "King Street".

 

[a_chap]

Ah, King Street makes more sense. Seem to have drifted off topic here - you were after recommendations for places to go in Leicester. I, rather unhelpfully, can only recommend places I used to go about 25 years ago. The Globe (Silver Street) used to be great until they removed the Bar Billairds table. -sigh-

 

[BassJunkie]

Some people in Leicester have had enough:

 

[Serge Forward]

Some people in Leicester have had enough:
View attachment 244023

Totally sympathise. I'm in the West End of Leicester and the streets have become fly tipping central. It's all mattresses and assorted detritus these days. I blame the buy to let landlords.

 

[editor]

So, I'm playing a gig in Leicester soon. What's it like these days?
Any decent bars?

 

[a_chap]

I think the deafening silence answers your question...

 

[weltweit]

I have never been to Leicester so have no experiences to go by but at Poly there was a stunningly boring young 20 year old on a business course who came from Leicester and wanted to be a bank manager.

It turned my attitude about the place. Bank Manager eh ..

 

[Serge Forward]

So, I'm playing a gig in Leicester soon. What's it like these days?
Any decent bars?

City centre? Depends what sort of bar you're after. The Blue Boar and the Rutland & Derby do some decent ales. Also there's the Ale Wagon, it used to be frequented by elderly lefties - not sure now as it's a while since I've been there.

 

[Serge Forward]

There's also The Musician! But that might be a bit of a busman's holiday for you.

 

[BassJunkie]

My mates often played the Firebug, which is relatively sizeable.

 

[BassJunkie]

City centre? Depends what sort of bar you're after. The Blue Boar and the Rutland & Derby do some decent ales. Also there's the Ale Wagon, it used to be frequented by elderly lefties - not sure now as it's a while since I've been there.

Sadly the chap who ran the Ale Wagon died, and I think, but not sure, that the pub died with him, as it were.

 

[Serge Forward]

Sadly the chap who ran the Ale Wagon died, and I think, but not sure, that the pub died with him, as it were.

Did he? That's sad news. When I first moved to Leicester 20 years ago, I was never out of that pub.

The Firebug ha had a few changes of ownership, I think. If I recall correctly, it went a bit fashy at one point... but I think it may be okay now.

On the subject of fashy, avoid Spencers (formerly Churchill's or Winston's). The clue is in the name so it's clientele are mostly cunts.

 

[BassJunkie]

Did he? That's sad news. When I first moved to Leicester 20 years ago, I was never out of that pub.

The Firebug ha had a few changes of ownership, I think. If I recall correctly, it went a bit fashy at one point... but I think it may be okay now.

On the subject of fashy, avoid Spencers (formerly Churchill's or Winston's). The clue is in the name so it's clientele are mostly cunts.

Totally. That pub has had a certain demographic for a long as I've known it. Happily The Globe's still good.

 

[Duncan2]

They have spent a great deal of money on Leicester City Centre and some rather ordinary streets are somewhat like boulevards with trees and pedestrianised areas.The Christmas tree will be up by now in the City Centre and if previous years are anything to go by it will be a good one.Leicester Market is always fascinating in addition to which at the end of Burleys Way there is a supermarket which has a humungous range of produce from Africa and South East Asia.My partner isnt vaccinated so I have to admit many months have elapsed since I have been there but obliged to choose between Coventry and Leicester as a weekend urban haunt for me its Leicester every time.Football and Rugby teams also outstanding.Havent read the thread-apologies if this has all been pointed out earlier.

 

[Serge Forward]

I fucking love it here... just don't tell any local chizzits I said that. I'm always telling them, "yeah but it's not a patch on Manchester"

 

[a_chap]

The wife and I are from Leicester and we both agree that this word "chissit" ("chizzit", "chisit", etc.) is just a modern fabrication.

 

[Serge Forward]

I agree It's not a word you hear in Leicester, but it's not modern either and was apparently coined by Skeggy shopkeepers during Leicester week/fortnight.

 

[a_chap]

Having spent many "July fortnight" holidays in Skeggy (and Mablethorpe, Chapel St. Lenoards & Ingoldmells) I can honestly say I never heard it used there either.

There were as many families on holiday from Nottingham and Derby as there were from Leicester (you could tell based on which local newspapers they bought) so I find it hard to believe that "chissit" was a term reserved for Leicester folk.

 

[Serge Forward]

Hmm... maybe I am misinformed. Besides, everyone knows the correct nomenclature for Leicester folk is Leicesterfarian.

 

[editor]

So we played the Soundhouse last night and it's a lovely small venue with a fabulously over the top lighting system. The weather was appalling so in the end we stayed up and got drunk in the hotel bar till 5am (Premier Inn). The bar closed at 1 so I went out on a classy 2am Uber booze run.

Sadly got to see very little of Leicester although we had a nice meal at Herb, a south Indian veggie restaurant.

 

[Duncan2]

As Dr Johnson said-if you're tired of Leicester you're tired of life Always next year Editor.

 

[Serge Forward]

So we played the Soundhouse last night and it's a lovely small venue with a fabulously over the top lighting system. The weather was appalling so in the end we stayed up and got drunk in the hotel bar till 5am (Premier Inn). The bar closed at 1 so I went out on a classy 2am Uber booze run.

Sadly got to see very little of Leicester although we had a nice meal at Herb, a south Indian veggie restaurant.View attachment 299454

Herb is ace. Have they still got the vintage Indian BSA motorbike in the restaurant?

 

[Serge Forward]

As Dr Johnson said-if you're tired of Leicester you're tired of life Always next year Editor.

Yeah, that Doctor Johnson was a bit of a wag

 

[editor]

Herb is ace. Have they still got the vintage Indian BSA motorbike in the restaurant?

Royal Enfield!

 

[Serge Forward]

That's the one

 

[ouirdeaux]

I found myself in Leicester last year, and went into a pub at random. I was pleasantly surprised by the combination of a good choice of beer and friendly customers.

Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the pub, but perhaps someone will recognise it. It's in the centre.

 

[Serge Forward]

Dunno. It's been a while since I was in city centre pubs. By and large, Leicester pubs are quite friendly and I generally find Leicesterfarians to be a pretty easy going lot. Just avoid Churchgate on Friday and Saturday nights though, it can get a bit lairy down there.