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The Old Horse, Leicester

198 London Road
Leicester
LE2 1ND
Phone: 01162548384

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Reviews (Current Rating Average: of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Old Horse

Reasonably large Everard's pub about a 10-minute walk uphill from the train station and overlooking Victoria Park. The first thing that caught my eye when approaching the pub was the large black sign to the right-hand side of the entrance advertising a Beer & Cider Room. Sure enough, the room to the right of the entrance has access to the bar and had a large number of handpulls all sporting different ciders. The last time I visited here in 2012, they only sold Black Dragon cider. The presence of 8 different ciders certainly seems an improvement since then. Ciders on were Aston Manor King's Apple & Friel's, Weston's Old Rosie, Broadoak Moonshine & Perry, Lilley's Gladiator & Thatcher's Stan's Big Apple.

Off to the left is a much larger sub-divided room also with access to what is an L-shaped bar. Where the real cider range has expanded, the real ale range has reduced. There were 6 ales for my visit in 2012. This time, the regular beers from Everard's (Tiger, Sunchaser & Old Original) only had one guest beer to supplement them. This was Lister's Best Bitter. A CAMRA discount is offered on the ales and the cider.

The main bar area has a rather unusual feature, having a coffin for the table, as mentioned by Steve C below. Beyond this room, steps lead down to an outdoor courtyard area where the toilets can be located, along with table football and an air hockey table. There is a large pirate peering over the yard from the roof above, whilst a couple of skeletons can also be spotted.

Beyond the courtyard, there is a very long garden which had a couple of fake rugby posts erected. The garden wasn't quite large enough for a pitch and the posts weren't full height. I guess they were vestiges of their Six Nations promotions earlier in the spring.

Back inside, there was food available including cobs and rotisserie chicken in a heated cabinet at one end of the bar.

I quite like this place and am likely to return again in several more years time. Although there are not too many other decent pubs nearby, making the uphill walk from the station less worthwhile.

On 4th May 2023 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2442 recommendations about 2441 pubs]


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Steve C left this review about The Old Horse

The Old Horse is a large Everards pub just on the edge of how far I could be bothered to walk from the city centre. There are two entrances, one from the car park to the left and one from the front where there are picnic tables under a couple of jumbrellas. The front entrance leads to a wooden floored bar area with seating and a serving counter on the rear wall that supports eight hand pumps that were all drawing cask cider. To the right is more seating and some Six Nations bunting advertises the rugby. This area of the pub feels a bit like an Irish bar with lots of dark wood everywhere. There is some seating in the window to the left of the entrance where, oddly, a coffin is used as a table. The bar counter runs down the right towards the rear facing high tables to the left and a partition wall that houses a burner. At the rear is open plan seating. There are two banks of four hand pumps on this longer bar counter. Five were unused leaving Sunchaser, Old Original and Tiger as the cask ale choices. Standard and premium keg were also available. The service was friendly and I left thinking that the walk to visit was worth it.

On 10th March 2023 - rating: 8
[User has posted 5179 recommendations about 5148 pubs]


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Bucking Fastard left this review about The Old Horse

A large Everards tied house,a good way uphill out of the city centre along the busy London Road.It's a very well used pub by the local community with a regular quiz,pub food ,a sizeable beer garden with internally lots of different sections devoted to seperate interest groups.The PSM review below is very thorough as always,the only change I could see was an internal redecoration in light pastel shades which had detracted a little from a traditional pub feel,while the restaurant section to the left with it's red checked tablecloths was almost a cliche.The mock coffin as a pub table was a joke that nearly didn't work ,old school humour in this day and age ?
There is a whole rank of handpumps devoted to cider in one of the righthandside bars,while the real ale from 8 handpumps will showcase 6 Everards brews both regular(Tiger,Beacon Hill,Old Original,Sunchaser) and seasonal with two slightly anonymous guest ales on my trip.The food was good value pub grub, and there is a rear kitchen opening with lots of rotisserie chicken on offer as well.
One of the better Everards tied houses,good to see it so well used but not really a destination pub for me.

On 24th February 2019 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2709 recommendations about 2709 pubs]


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Pub SignMan left this review about The Old Horse

Located just over the road from Victoria Park and within easy walking distance from Leicester station, the Old Horse is a fantastic rambling old coaching in, currently under Everards ownership. A huge central servery acts as a focal point for the pub's multiple room layout, with the main bar area to the left on entering. This room is partly bare boarded and partly carpeted and has the dark wood bar counter running down the right hand wall under a stained glass canopy decorated with a stuffed fox, US flag, pump clips and all manner of mugs, bottles, tins and the like. There is a raised seating area in the front window bay, masked slightly by some pleasant stained glass partitioning screens, with a tap and spile display to one side. Opposite the bar is one of the most memorable pub sights I've encountered over the years - a table made from a coffin under a 'Charge of the Light Brigade Union' flag, some pitchforks, a witches broom, a bat, a violin and a set of bull horns. To the rear there is a triangular space set up for diners with a carvery in full flow at the far end of the servery where some more stained glass can be seen, this time with a Belgian theme (one panel reads 'Smeets', for example). There is a lot of standard chair and banquette seating back here under fake brick wallpaper and a massive collection of tankards, jugs, teapots and mugs hung from the ceiling beams. To the front left there is a much blander second dining area with pastel shaded walls and a TV screen showing muted sports coverage whilst pop music played over the top. To the right of the main entrance there is a second bar which has two distinctly separate areas, presumably operating as individual rooms back in the day. The first area has a few standard tables and chairs under the front windows with horse and coach themed pictures on the walls. The bar here is notable for having eight ciders on handpull, but for ales you will need to go through to the main bar area. Further to the right there is a second area with a modern looking, unmanned servery to the rear. High banquettes fill the window bay with standard seating elsewhere. Both areas are bare boarded and a couple of large upturned barrels fill the dead space between seating and bar, offering punters somewhere to rest their pint. There is a nice fireplace with a modern stove in it on the far wall and some rugby themed items are prominently displayed including some framed shirts, a trophy cabinet and an Aylestone Athletic RFC sign painted on the front wall. To the rear of the pub there is a nice old courtyard and former stable block. The courtyard has a fun pirate theme which includes a Jack Sparrow statue and various skeletons and skull and crossbones, which made it a good place to let kids loose. An archway leads on into a huge beer garden with plenty of picnic benches in a good spot to enjoy the sun's rays.
Everards beers unsurprisingly dominate the handpulls, with Tiger, Original, Sunchaser, Beacon Hill and Midland Red all available along with two guests in the form of Burton Bridge Mystery Mild and Hydes Provenance Prohibition Pale. Allied with the eight real ciders in the second bar, this is a substantial range and I was keen to try the Tiger, which has always been a personal favourite. I was pleased to find it was in excellent condition and most worthy of the pub's regular appearance in the Good Beer Guide.
This is a great pub with so much going on that it positively demands repeat visits. I thought the pub worked as a great showcase for Everards beers and their and pub estate, but judging by other customers, it also works well for diners, children, al fresco drinkers and those just wanting a quiet pint. Leicester's pub scene seems to be in constant flux, but this place looks like a reliable venue that I will very much be keen to revisit when I'm next in town.

On 7th July 2017 - rating: 8
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


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Will Larter left this review about The Old Horse

A roadside pub just out of the city centre with a view across the park. Opened up and extended, but retaining separate areas, two of which have tables set for dining. There's a pleasant window seating area that is slightly raised above the general floor height and I enjoyed sitting here and catching a glimpse of sunlight. There's a fair amount of bric-à-brac, especially a collection of jugs, mugs and teapots suspended from beams.

The centrally placed bar has two aspects - one to the right on entry has eight hand pumps serving exclusively ciders (this was local Camra cider pub of the year 2015). To the left, with a large area for standing drinkers in front, is a larger bar counter with eight hand pumps serving real ales - six on at the time of my visit, with four from Everards and two guests.

My beer was in excellent condition, and the pub offers numerous little add-ons that show how much thought has gone into making it a welcoming local and not just a place to come for a beer. For example, free phone charging is offered - how often do you see that?

Date of visit: 27th January 2017

On 19th June 2017 - rating: 9
[User has posted 3700 recommendations about 3439 pubs]


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Quinno _ left this review about The Old Horse

A ten minute walk uphill from the train station (or a much nicer stroll if you’re coming from New Walk), this Everards pub is directly opposite Victoria Park. Exterior flower baskets make the place look worthwhile and this effort has been extended into the interior, which is full of left-field nik-naks (hanging jugs, rows of toy soldiers, one of the tunics worn by Sean Bean in Sharp, as well as a full-size TRADIS in the back garden). The pub is divided into distinct areas with dark wood fittings and some nice stained glass above the bar and in some of the doors. There’s a very pleasant large bay window seating at the front, a rear conservatory and a smart small room off to the right of the bar. A large beer garden (apparently with barn owls) makes this place a hit with the families in the summer. The full range of Everards beer were available plus a seasonal and a guest in the form of Castle Rock Sheriffs Tipple. My Beacon and Original and were both in good order. Plenty of food is served and on my Sunday visit it was chock-full with people eating the obligatory roast, plus what looked like a budget wedding reception (or divorce party?). We managed to find a seat (a chez lounge, actually) with a mock coffin doubling-up as a table; maybe a bit much for some tastes. Darts and pool were also available. This is an impressive place and a model of how to run a ‘welcome to all’ pub without compromising on beer and charisma.

On 22nd April 2013 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5050 recommendations about 5033 pubs]


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hondo . left this review about The Old Horse

Large pub across from Victoria park. Quirky decoration includes a coffin being used as a table. Everards beer plus guests & food served all day. Well worth the walk out from the town centre.Large beer garden.

On 20th October 2010 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]


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train man left this review about The Old Horse

The longest walk away from the general direction of the crawl, but pleasant enough via the pedestrianised New Walk, rather than London Rd. An Everards house, Tiger, Beacon, Sunchaser, Original, also Old Rosie on handpump, a friendly welcome at the bar. Bright conservatory to left, dark wood bar, plenty of seating, banquettes in big bay windows at front, pool table, dartboard & plasma in separate room to rt which is beyond a smaller, interim bar. Check out the life-size Blues Brothers – Jake & Elwood are reclining in the courtyard to rear, beyond this a large well tended lawn with picnic sets. Not sure about the table formed of a coffin opposite the bar – quite out of keeping with the pub & slightly disconcerting.

On 5th May 2008 - no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]