On 22 August 1895, Thomas Smith gained a provisional licence that was transferred from the Friars Causeway on the yet to be built Western Road. 1896 Joseph Hillier became licensee, George Preston in 1900 followed by Frederick Swift c1913.
Picture circa 1950. An Everards pub from its beginnings until 2007, when it was taken over by the Steamin’ Billy group.
Steamin Billy totally refurbished the Western and introduced Leicester’s first pub theatre on the first floor, aptly called ‘Upstairs at the Western’, in October 2013.
The pub and theatre became the first pub in the city to gain an asset of community value, which Steamin Billy owners Barry Lount and Billy Allingham, together with CAMRA, pressed the Leicester City Council to safeguard it from redevelopment. Also gaining many awards for its ale, the Western once again became the hub of the community.
2017 – saw the development of fourteen storey flats surround the Western. Thanks to the Asset of Community Order the pub survived the developers clutches.
In 2020, Steamin’ Billy’s lease with Everards was coming to an end. Negotiations on a new lease with an idea from Steamin Billy to turn the lounge into an all day café and coffee house couldn’t be agreed upon so Steamin’ Billy handed back the licence to Everards.
Thus inspired, in 2021, Everards applied for planning permission themselves to turn the lounge at the Western into an all day café.
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