The Phoenix Theatre was opened in 1963 and renamed the Phoenix Arts Centre in 1973. It had a bar for many years but after a closure threat, the Tyne Mill Pub Co. obtained a full licence to run the bar with a selection of real ales.
De Montfort University eventually became involved and after the New Phoenix was built circa 2009 in Midland Street, the building was taken over by a consortium and restructured along the lines of Upper Brown Leicester College Campus, although still having a bar not now officially open to the public.
In 2015, it was renamed the Sue Townsend Theatre, after Leicester’s renowned author who was famous for her Adrian Mole series of books, among others.
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