I remember sitting opposite the pub on our holiday cases at the Southgate Street bus station, whilst my dad and uncle popped in for one’.
Barry Lount
1820’s directory gives John P. Egar as victualler, although the building was older, so could have had another name. There have been claims that a family of that name lived here, so the pub may not be named after the famous bard. The Shakespeare’s Head was a popular name around that time and in the mid 1800s there were eight in London alone.
By 1835, William Millson was victualler, the pub having stables for twelve horses. William also kept fowls. In September 1838, Jon Cort (whose lodgings backed on to the pub), together with John Mann broke into the hen house – which had newly laid concrete floor – and stole seven fowls. They were easily traced by their footprints from the mortar back to Cort’s house where the seven dead fowls were found. Cort was sentenced to six months hard labour and Mann to four months.
In 1849, Thomas Hall moved from the Duke of Northumberland to the Shakespeare’s Head, followed by William Peel in 1853, who also brewed there. His wife, Mary Ann, died at the pub in January 1857.
In 1863, William Peel passed on the licence to Thomas Broughton. It was around this time that the name ‘Shakespeare Brewery’ appears as a separate business, sometime listed as no. 17 Southgate Street. Thomas Broughton tragically died, aged thirty-six, in 1868. His wife Anne carried on as brewer.
In 1880, the Shakespeare Brewery was put up for sale. The brewhouse, and smithy, working rooms, engine house offices etc. were reported as recently built. Also offered as a separate lot was the adjoining Shakespeare’s Head pub.
An 1881 cartoon mocking the closing of pubs on a Sunday, an issue of the day. That year victualler Joseph Cant was declared bankrupt. The pub and brewery now belonged to Beeston Brewery, the forerunner of Shipstones.
In January 1939, a fire broke out at the printing works divided by only by a narrow passage from the Shakespeare’s Head. Landlord, Arthur Johnson, with his wife, raised the alarm when flames leapt into the air from the adjacent building which was like a furnace – nearby windows were blown out. With others, the took shelter in the Midland Red bus station nearby. £20,000 worth of damage was done to the works of Marshall & Hackett.
During the 1960s, the vision of city planner, Konrad Smigielski, was taking place (with very mixed and controversial results). This included the new underpass – and unfortunately, the old Shakespeare’s Head was in the way. The new pub is on the left and the bus station on the right (see photo above).
The 1960s Shakespeare’s Head. A Shipstones Brewery house, with very unusual architecture, late Deco style. The interior, with its late deco bar doors and lighting, promoted a relaxing atmosphere, with a good pint of beer. Slightly isolated by the new road and underpass, it was nevertheless well supported by C.A.M.R.A. It was later owned by the Oakwell Brewery, who eventually found themselves in difficulties and the pub closed for a period.
After the pub closed circa 2012, it re emerged a couple of years later as The Fat Buddha.
As sure as eggs is eggs, the Fat Buddha name was short lived. By 2017 it had reverted to the Shakespeare’s House.
In June 2020, the Shakespeare’s House licence was revoked due to the premises associated with serious crime and disorderly conduct, also failing to comply with food and hygiene regulations.
It later transpired that a whole cannabis factory had been found hidden in the pub. When raided, three men tried to flee on foot but were chased and detained in the city centre. (Leicester Mercury). In March 2021, the three were all jailed for their activities and for now the pub remained closed.
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