This fine old Victorian building (built circa 1897 for the Queen’s Jubilee), once called the Queen’s Chambers, fell into disrepair in the years after World War II.
The Major hospitality operation, opened in October 2018, with flats, private members’ club and bar/restaurant. The brainchild of Cassie Davison, the owner of the Exchange bar opposite and ex-Entropy, Hinckley Road. Ms Davison has an excellent record of restoring listed buildings and turning them into award winning eateries.
Prior to Queen Victoria Arts bar the building had multiple uses. Sparks Bar – just one of the names occupying the buildings which had many incarnations over the years.
Sparks Bar circa 2015 (Facebook)
There were others too previously, which included a Swingers club called G Spot, circa 2003, followed by Dielectric Ravers bar circa 2008 both pictured below.
Mostly were short lived, although a snooker club located in the building lasted for some years.
QUEEN VICTORIA’S ARTS CLUB
Artist’s impression looking out on Orton Square (after Leicester playwright, Joe Orton). The Curve theatre and Odeon Cinema prominent in view (Leicester Mercury 18 September 2018).
Tastefully restored open photo above October 1st 2018, closed suddenly in October 2019 together with the Exchange bar opposite (now reopened), both businesses run by Cassie Davison, the owners of the buildings pulled the plug on her over a funding disagreement, we await developments.
Circa early 2020, re opened as Orton’s Brasserie after Leicester famous play-write Joe Orton, also the square in front named as Orton Square.
Contrasting periods of archetecture, the Victorian building with Ortons right, the 21st centuary Curve Theatre left, and centre the Art Deco old Odeon cinema perfectly captured in the Jeremy Corbett collection of photographs.
June 2022, Ortons closed suddenly for good, a shame it was a good idea, different with high end food offering, right idea maybe wrong site or another not to survive post covid.
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