MIDLAND RAILWAY HOTEL – MIDLAND RAILWAY INN, SAFFRON LANE (LANSDOWNE ROAD)

pubprojectleicester
c1900

The Midland Railway Hotel (to use its full title), was built circa 1884, with Robert Davis as landlord.  Sometimes recorded as Midland Railway Inn.

In August 1895, notice of application was lodged at the Brewster Sessions for a full seven day licence.  The culture of drinking was changing and all pubs now had to be more than just drinking dens.  Quite a few applied as hotels and many were built around this period.

A  1960s photo of Evelyn Walsh serving behind the bar at the Midland.
She would tell her sons John, and his brother, never to drink the mild as Walter, the cellar man, would pour the slops back into it.  This included Herbert Voss’ glass, containing remnants of his snuff.  This practice wasn’t confined to the Midland: many pubs adopted the practice of back pouring into the mild as a dark drink it couldn’t be detected. Some claimed that it ‘enhanced the flavour.’
Mrs Walsh (right) serving the Tartan Bitter which was the rage for a short period of time during the early 1970s .  Mr & Mrs Cave were licensees at the time (photos from John Walsh).
Photo of Frank Whitmore behind the bar and below Staff & family outside photos posted by Graham David Muddimer
The obligatory barman’s fag,Bill Worley in flat cap
Another behind the bar with ‘Minty’ poss mid 60’s during Edward Cave’s time as landlord he kept the pub from c1955 to 1969, thanks to Graham David Muddimer for supplying photos
Photo circa 1985.
Photo of Barry Lount entering the Midland, circa 2007.

In later years the pub gained an unsavoury reputation which culminated in 2015 with the landlord losing his licence after a police raid. Landlord Barry Driver was arrested as the police found a loaded sawn off shotgun, together with a stun gun under the bar.  The pub was shut down until a new licensee could be found. 

Part of the ground floor had already been turned into flats in 2010 and the enforced closure represented the final death knell, when application was made for change of use into fourteen more flats.  

A once thriving, bustling local slowly died a death – although the single story part of the building reopened, remaining as a bar and referred to as the Midi. It finally closed its doors in April 2019.

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5 Comments

  1. There was a riot between somevtraveller families there after a funeral on the Saff

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    1. Any more info on that Bill, was the wake at the Midland and what year etc. thanks for your interest. Cheers

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  2. Thankyou for info. My mam ,Nellie Worley was housekeeper for mr.&mrs Cave .Mr. Ted Cave collapsed in the bath one morning and my mam gave resuscitation, she saw a demo at abbey park show ..mam and me both cleaned at Mid and i barworked In 70s. Den O’Learys and Tom Kirkpatricks tenancy. I remember everyone in photos and Evelyn was a friend of our family

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