TIME BAR – PARCEL YARD, 48 LONDON ROAD

. Standing next door to the train station in 1996 Steamin Billy’s Liz Lount spotted an opportunity for a bar.

Billy with Railtrack manager Paul Sapuano discussing the project

The original concept was a Steamin’ Billy real ale bar, to complement the Vaults in Wellington Street.  To be called Steamin’ Billys Main Line, On second thoughts implications of that could be misinterpreted. After protracted talks with British Rail, one of the directors of Steamin Billy, Bill Allingham decided to go it alone and with his wife Cindy open a more of a contemporary bar, they originally decided to call it Flare, later settling on Time Bar, whist his co-directors Barry and Liz Lount concentrated on opening a hotel/bar in Norfolk.

Housed in the old Railtrack Parcel Yard, it was a matter of starting from scratch.

Named Time Bar eventually opened 1999, it became the forerunner and most popular of the new bars which, due to the relaxation of the licensing laws, were now springing up in Leicester.

Front entrance in London Road December 1999.
Side entrance named ‘Thomas Cook’ after whose stature stands outside, on Station Street.
Bill Allingham outside Parcel Yard

After twelve successful years, as with most of the contemporary bars it was time for re-fit, as well as a name change.  Now amalgamated with the Steamin Billy Co, Time Bar became the Parcel Yard, named after its original function.

Photo taken in September 2015.

2023 plans announced by LCC for major development for Leicester Station area, which meant the removal of the Parcel Yard with an alternative site to be discussed, Plans showing the proposed new layout Station St/London Rd, Parcel Yard closed August 2023

Prior to its closure Jamie Beags posted these four (two above, and two below) photos

on (Made in Leicester)

Another artist impression of the proposed layout.

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