RICHARD III – KING RICHARD III, 70 HIGHCROSS STREET

Known as Richard III for almost a century, latterly King Richard III.

In May 1835 an inquest was held on Joseph Hodgson, a regular at the Richard III, who hung himself in the pub’s outside ‘privy’.  It was reported at the inquest that his father was a drunken gunmaker (dangerous), and his mother was deranged and had been confined to her room for the past nine years. Joseph himself was subject to bouts of melancholy. The verdict read ‘destroyed himself whilst in temporary derangement.

In 1888, the pub was advertised as a hotel & liquor vaults with ‘spacious bar and spirit vaults with front and side entrance, smoke & market rooms with passage laid with ornamental tiles, stabling for 20 horses.’

The pub was run by the Thompson family for almost fifty years from circa 1954.

In August 2007, an armed robber who had just held up the Bank of Scotland in Friar Lane, walked in the pub and ordered a pint of beer.  Witnesses had seen him running through the streets carrying a box that was billowing out red smoke from the anti theft device installed in the cash box.  Fifteen police officers soon burst in, arrested the man and handcuffed him as he was supping his beer. The pub was sealed off for more than three hours as forensics searched, dressing the suspect head to toe in plastic to preserve any evidence. Disgruntled customers were denied access, but seven who were already in the pub at the time were locked in, much to their pleasure. What an excuse to tell the wife: ‘sorry love – the police made me stay in the pub for an extra three hours.’

Ornate Victorian  bar serving upstairs function room. Licensees: Belinda and Bobby Shields.

Tragedy struck in May 2016, when an altercation between landlord ‘Bobby’ Shields and a customer ended with ‘Bobby’ being charged with manslaughter.

Within two to three months Everards decided to close the pub with intentions of major refurbishment. It meant the closure of one of Leicester’s remaining ‘locals’.

A shame as the pub was full of characters which ‘Bobby’ ran well.

A New look of Richard III, opened in April 2017. 

A complete refurbishment, externally as well as internally, meant the old frontage was ‘binned’ – one of Leicester’s last remaining ‘locals’ had gone.  The unfortunate events that lead to its closure gave the owners the opportunity to transform the pub in line with ‘café culture’ of the early 21^st century.  Drinking habits were rapidly changing. 

Whilst some of us old traditionalists mourn the passing of the street ‘locals’, we can’t argue with business economics I should only to well know.

Barry Lount

Opened in April 2017.  Eventually to be leased by the team that also ran the Knight & Garter and Rutland & Derby.  Eventually re-invented as King Richard 111 & Chop House, a valiant attempt to up market the old pub, very well done, but somehow did not work out for them.