Leicester Pubs

2016 | Food & Drink

Leicester's pubs have always been more than mere watering holes. They are where deals were done, battle plans drawn up and where murderers have faced up to their crimes. Richard III spent his final night alive at the Blue Boar in Highcross Street. In the Globe on Silver Street in 1815, Nathaniel Corah began trading in clothing made by local knitters. His company became the major textile manufacturer of the twentieth century, employing thousands of Leicester people. Condemned prisoners on the way to the gallows at Red Hill were allowed a final drink at the Talbot Inn in Belgrave where there are still ghostly sightings. The Grange Farm in Oadby is also said to be haunted. It was a farmhouse where most of the family died and who still wander the premises. Other local taverns have been frequented for specific purposes, such as those near the Leicester Royal Infirmary's Maternity Unit where fathers-to-be steadied their nerves or celebrated newly-arrived offspring; and the pubs near Filbert Street area where Leicester City fans have celebrated wins or drowned their sorrows.

Leicester Pubs is a 'pub tour with culture', reflecting Leicester's history through the colourful stories of its inns and taverns.

Stephen Butt (Author)