October 2025. Leicester.
36 hours in Leicester, and with lunchtime approaching (though we’d barely finished breakfast) it’s time to explore the castle.
Leicester looked quite lively with shoppers that late October Thursday, but tourist trade is light, and we are virtually the only folk in Castle Park,
apart from that giant heron (or whatever it is).
Not much of the Art Deco medieval structure left, but the approach from the Newarke to Castle Yard through Turret Gateway is very Instagrammable,
which is almost as important for Mrs RM as the pub at the end is for me.
I’d ticked the Castle a year ago, liked it a lot, and Leicester CAMRA seem to as well.
It’s traditional for Old Blokes to make inane conversation with young bar staff while waiting for their pints, so I mention how quiet it is (Duh, it’s 10 to 12 !) and ask about the onion bhajis,
which look even more like the chocolate brownies Mrs RM would have liked with her Bloomer NEIPA.
The barmaid is everything old Boomers tell you that young people aren’t; friendly and chatty, revealing the contents of her breakfast sandwich, the detail that sets this blog apart*.
Lovely crisp pint of Oakham Dragon, too (NBSS 3.5+).
Mrs RM is taking photos of the upstairs room which are clearly better than mine;
so I hand my phone over for her to check my “filters”, “settings” and the like.
Husbands, never hand your wives your phones. She begins to read, loudly, my pub notes;
Could have been worse, I guess. And yes, even more Hall & Oates.
Almost as old as Hall & Oates, St Mary de Castro (NCSS 4) is a gem of 12th century church with friendly volunteers who didn’t bombard Mrs RM with dates and names,
so merited their contactless donation.
Not sure about the authenticity of the detail on this statue, mind.
OK, that’s one King on that shield, let’s find the resting place of another king.
*Or would, if I could remember what that breakfast sandwich was
retiredmartin 
Kiss? I have found, over the years, that asking barmaids for kisses is a nil sum game, but good for you for considering it..
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Never show anyone your notes !
Do you write notes on your London trips ?
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Far too lazy for that! Photos of pumpclips as reminders is all.
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Photos work pretty well.
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Leicester’s highlights all in one post, they should have interred the king at St Mary de Castro, a much finer place of worship in almost everyone’s opinion.
I see the Castle has upped their beer game since I was last there, a relentlessly ‘ok’ choice of Plum Porter and Charnwood Salvation for as long as it’s been open. There’s a nice garden too if you can find it, though the downside will always be the single (1) toilet which makes visiting on a match day highly not recommended for bladder-challenged folk like me.
(The Real) Mark
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That was exactly our thoughts, Mark.
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Since middle son finished his days at De Montfort a few years ago, memories of Leicester pubs visited for Proper Reasons are fading a bit.
I wonder if anything can be done about that?
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“apart from that giant heron (or whatever it is).”
I’d put good money on heron.
“but the approach from the Newarke to Castle Yard through Turret Gateway is very Instagrammable,”
It looks like something out of a Pratchett book.
“so I mention how quiet it is (Duh, it’s 10 to 12 !) and ask about the onion bhajis,”
Not to worry. Getting older usually means you chat more; take it from me.
As for the bhaji, it says ‘gluten free vegan’ on it. I thought all vegans were gluten free?
“which look even more like the chocolate brownies Mrs RM would have liked with her Bloomer NEIPA.”
Chocolate with a non-dark beer? Heavens!
“revealing the contents of her breakfast sandwich,”
Preferably not by bringing it back up, literally.
“Mrs RM is taking photos of the upstairs room which are clearly better than mine;”
Yup; it’s your phone.
“Husbands, never hand your wives your phones.”
Some husbands don’t know this? Crikey!
“Could have been worse, I guess. And yes, even more Hall & Oates.”
Ayup. Good thing it wasn’t Big Ten Inch by Aerosmith.
(although, on 2nd thought)
“so merited their contactless donation.”
I read that as ‘contact lenses’ and thought they were saving them up to give to the poor kids in Africa; kinda like the eyeglass shops over here will take your old glasses.
“Not sure about the authenticity of the detail on this statue, mind.”
Were male skirts in vogue back in 12th century Britain?
“*Or would, if I could remember what that breakfast sandwich was”
Ah, so she didn’t regurgitate it then.
Cheers
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