Sir Robert Peel, Leicester

Lovely multi roomed back street pub, the counter is opposite on entry with rooms off to left and right. The pub serves a range of Everards plus a guest from White Horse. Comfortable seating in older styles, it’s decorated with masses of knick knacks, a selection pump clips, pictures and whisky containers. There is a piano in one corner. The toilets out the back obviously were outside once but the space between has been covered over, the garden is called the smoking room according to the etched door. Probably popular with students as it’s on the edge of the De Montfort campus.

Corner local near rugby ground. An Everards pub with guest beers making a good choice, multi areas, fires and cosy place.

Official site of Sir Robert Peel - sirrobertpeelleicester.co.uk

Official site of Sir Robert Peel - sirrobertpeelleicester.co.uk

Recently done up by Everards, presumably as part of their Project William scheme. Exterior now has a big mural of Peel on the wall that faces the junction. Tastefully refitted with modern takes on the traditional dark wood fitted interior, which still smells of showroom. Pretty compact to the right as you enter, more open to the left, with another room further on from here with a covered courtyard beyond. In here is a comedy door that leads to the garden – there isn’t one, it’s a teeny courtyard. Wood burning stove inside providing heat on a cold and miserable evening. Bland modern music thankfully muted. Six ales available alongside a proper Westons cider. My Blue Monkey Xmas ale was in good form as was the Daleside Chestnut. A ‘coming up’ board lists the ales in the cellar. Staff were clearly quite new to the job but that side should settle down. A good stab at creating a modern ale pub with traditional features and worth checking out, especially if you’re a stone’s throw away in the Swan & Rushes or doing a Leicester home game.

Recently refurbished, the exterior is now a fashionable grey. Inside, it all seems comfortably furnished, while the bar now features not just ale from the Everards range, but a few guests as well. Obviously, this one's going to be crowded on match days (both football or rugby). Not sure I'd venture this way otherwise, but you may want to investigate if you're going to the nearby Swan & Rushes.