October 2025. Leicester.
The last trip of the month, as we become Leicester’s tourists.
Just under the hour from Sheffield, just under £25 off-peak return, and budget hotels right next to the Ale Wagon (of which more later).
36 hours, rather than a day trip, gives you a leisurely night on the cask curry, and allows Mrs RM to compile one of those tourist maps with objects to be eaten/hunted/cuddled.
I told her Leicester means foxes, but she couldn’t find foxes as an icon so it’s deer. Close enough.
Expect Mrs RM’s comprehensive, professional-produced long read on her blog in 2026. In the meantime here’s some short posts (with inferior photos) from me starting with the New Walk.
A 10:30 arrival was improbably, too early for the Art Gallery,
but not for a return to Bread & Honey, a cute place for double espresso and paintings of Nissans.
We were torn on the merits of the Art Gallery, a lot of family activities and Egyptian mummies but a lack of actual art.
But some lovely poetry,
and a charming little film of Leicester through the ages (mainly shopping centres opened by Sid James) which possibly underplays the universal appeal of Ranieri and that season.
You’ll have guessed by now that it was raining, but tailing off, and I reckoned I could persuade Mrs RM to make a 20 minute slog through Victoria Park and the Uni with a promise of a pint at my last (only) Leicestershire GBG newbie.
Half way through the park, as we admire the brutalist architecture (top), a genteel lady asks “Are you LOST ?“.
No tourist attractions (deers) to tick, but an impressive fire station,
and the Attenborough Arts Centre whose only obvious exhibit was a lone projector creating an image of Columbian jungle.
Joyously, Mrs RM got told off here for attempting to go upstairs to a restricted arts space. We get told off more in impending middle-age than we did as schoolchildren.
And then to Clarendon Park, a cosmopolitan post-graduate enclave with some quirky cask outlets and a magnificent Hindu temple; Leicester’s own Mill Road.
But what about the pub I’ve now dragged Mrs RM half an hour in the rain when she could have been visiting “the car park king” ?.
retiredmartin 
“The last trip of the month, as we become Leicester’s tourists.”
Is that the one BRAPA hates? I know it starts with ‘L’.
“36 hours, rather than a day trip, gives you a leisurely night on the cask curry, and allows Mrs RM to compile one of those tourist maps with objects to be eaten/hunted/cuddled.”
Can’t argue with the 36 hour rule; more time equals less stress.
As for the tourist map objects; are they pumping out Christmas stuff already?
“I told her Leicester means foxes, but she couldn’t find foxes as an icon so it’s deer. Close enough.”
Pretty sure the ones near the Power Station should have red noses.
“a cute place for double espresso and paintings of Nissans.”
Now THAT’S culture right there.
“But some lovely poetry,”
Blimey. That’s like some haiku that went off the rails.
“which possibly underplays the universal appeal of Ranieri and that season.”
I thought Ranieri was some sort of exotic dish, then realised you mentioned ‘season’, so I figured instead it was that boat maker in Italy.
“and I reckoned I could persuade Mrs RM to make a 20 minute slog through Victoria Park and the Uni with a promise of a pint at my last (only) Leicestershire GBG newbie.”
I’ll have to try that with the missus. Only, it’ll be me saying I’ll gladly walk thru the rain if there’s a pint at the end of it.
“and the Attenborough Arts Centre whose only obvious exhibit was a lone projector creating an image of Columbian jungle.”
Pretty sure that’s Venezuela; after Trump swoops in and turns the country into rainbows and unicorns whilst he snags all of their oil.
“We get told off more in impending middle-age than we did as schoolchildren.”
Pftt. That’s because, at your age, you’re supposed to know better.
“Leicester’s own Mill Road.”
Looks like a dicey area to me. They have to put all of their potted plants behind bars!
“But what about the pub I’ve now dragged Mrs RM half an hour in the rain when she could have been visiting “the car park king” ?.”
Hopefully that’s in the next post.
Cheers
PS – Apologies for the minor absence. What with the World Series (baseball, and ‘our’ team lost), and Halloween (my darling wife can’t man the door – not because she’s not a man, but because she’d eat the candy whilst waiting for trick or treaters to show up), and having to go ‘shopping’* for my ‘surprise’ birthday gift (hint: a nice manual recliner for my man shed/pub) it’s been a bit busy these past few days.
* – My wife and I do not do shopping together very well, and that includes food shopping. One of the few things we don’t like doing together.
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I think you’re right, Simon hasn’t been complimentary about Leicester over the years, though the L***s thing is more about Leeds United, the most hated times in football.
Sorry about your loss in the rounders.
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Ah, (slaps head), L***s was the one I was thinking about. Good to know he hates all towns beginning with ‘L’.
Thx on the condolences but, it was a great series regardless of the outcome. Had some good fun texting my eldest and my sister whilst we were all watching the game in different provinces. 😎
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In seriousness, I just don’t understand the appeal of American sports at all. Not a criticism, just don’t get them visually.
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Totally understand about (North) American sports. They seem to be geared more to commercials at times rather than fast play. I remember taking some cousins to a (American) football game back in the 80’s and they were bored out of their minds.
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It’s worth a visit to the Ale Wagon just to watch the synchronised smoking of the identical twins in the doorway – if they’re still there.
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“Mrs RM got told off here for attempting to go upstairs”
Similar can happen in Atherstone !
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I would guess we’ve been told off more than any other couple, ever. What can it mean ?
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Even in Africa ?
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I pre-date the Leicester Tesco by a couple of months. To the best of my knowledge, the mighty Sid James was not present at my emergence. Suppose he had supermarkets to open.
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