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The Western, West End, Leicester
Leicester
LE3 0GA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Western
Enjoyed our visit to this friendly pub. We chose beers from Hook Norton and Highland / Swannay breweries which were fine. There is a bar and lounge, plus a beer garden, and there are a lot of old pub signs forming a lot of the decor. There is a theatre upstairs here.
On 16th July 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Western
A short walk from the city centre, this is a pleasant two bar pub run by the local Steamin’ Billy brewery. Entering through the lobby, doors lead into separate bars on either side of the pub. On the right hand side is the main bar which has bare floorboards and some decent banquette seating formed into small booths along the wall opposite the servery. There was a TV screen on one wall, but it was turned off during our stay. A connecting corridor at the rear leads past a flight of stairs which give access to a small theatre, and into the left hand side of the pub, signposted as the Theatre Bar. This room is partly carpeted and has standard table and chair arrangements with a couple of old settles here and there. There is a dartboard available and the walls are nicely decorated with a mix of old adverts and pub signs. Out the back there is a garden area where several more pub signs are on display.
Three Steamin’ Billy beers – Tipsy Fisherman, Bitter and Skydiver – were on alongside Everards Yakima, Hilden Barney’s Brew, Abbeydale Dark Side and Oldershaw Academy. I gave the latter a try and thought it was pretty good – all the more so thanks to the unexpected CAMRA discount offered to all PuG crawlers by the genial barman.
I enjoyed the visit to this pub and thought it was worth deviating slightly from the city centre pub circuit in order to take it in. The friendly staff and decent beer range make this a good addition to any pub crawl.
On 24th April 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Western
An impressive-looking building that has survived in the redeveloped backstreets in the De Montfort University area and as such often has a younger crowd in. However our visit found the place fairly quiet on a Friday afternoon outside term-time with some piped rock music providing background. Taken over by the Steamin Billy Brewery a few years back (presumably with assistance from Everards ‘Project William’ judging by the presence of their beers). Two rooms served by a single bar with three Steamin Billy plus Everards and a couple of guests. My Steamin Red was in good nick and we were given a CAMRA discount of 20p a pint which I assume is the norm here. Service was jovial and prompt. The walls are decorated with brewerania plus a number of old pub signs including, interestingly, a Wetherspoons one. Décor is fairly plain, with unfussy wood flooring and furniture with some fabric covered banquettes. There was also a fire which looked like a proper one to me. However, it’s not particularly homely in other respects. There’s a theatre upstairs according to the signs though I didn’t explore there. A good pub for the area and worth taking in as part of an extended crawl.
On 21st April 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5081 recommendations about 5064 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Western
A solid looking Victorian pub close to the western bank of the River Soar ,there are two bars,one names The Theatre Bar with a performance area upstairs.On the otherside is a wooden floored tap room with 3 handpumps featuring Steaming Billy brews while the other bar has five guest ales.There was a friendly welcome from the barman and a blanket CAMRA 20p discount for all the PuG team.The furniture was unfussy but there didn't seem to be many original features.Quieter than the city centre pubs,I thought the ale range was decent and my pint of Tipsy Fisherman was in good order.Often in the GBG,worth including on a crawl around the city.
On 23rd March 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Western
A friendly pub from the Steaming Billy brewery in the backstreets beyond the Grand Union canal. The room on the right was the busier of the two; we trekked round to the other via a narrow passage leading to the loos and, judging by the aroma, there's seems a possibility that not everyone's got there in time! Not pleasant.
As for the beer, I was pleasantly surprised to see Long Man Brewery (of Sussex)'s American Pale Ale on the bar, but we'd come for the house ales. We opted for the weakest of the range (Tipsy Fisherman); while ok, it failed to greatly excite.
In summary, then: worth a visit if you're in the area but would I trek out of the city centre next time? I'm not sure.
On 19th February 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Davey left this review about The Western
Another excellent beer pub in Leicester but why oh why the banging music on a Saturday afternoon? I had a great pint of Steaming billys Fisherman but towards the bottom of the glass couldn't wait to leave as my ears were bleeding! I'll call again if they turn it down.
On 28th May 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Western
Wanted to visit this pub for a while and try out their Steamin Billy Beers. Have to say I wasn't disappointed as all the ales were spot on. Seven ales on handpump and pretty much tried them all. Friendly and chatty pub, only problem is trying to get out!
On 10th May 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Western
Seeing the post below go on today reminded me that I haven’t got round to adding my comments about this Pub.
The Western is one of the five venues owned by the Steamin' Billy Micro brewery in Leicester and was taken over in October 2007, although there still seems to be some tie up with the previous owners Everards. So the beers referred to by Neil below are likely to have been the Steamin Billy own beers as there are usually three or four of them on along with a few guests usually making up to seven ales on at any one time.
The pub is located to the west of the river in the quieter back streets of Leicester , but still seems to attract a fairly decent and younger crowd, due to its proximity to several new student accommodation blocks that have sprung up on this side of town over the last couple of years.
It was done up when the micro brewery took it over and has a clean décor with white walls decorated with several bits of beer and brewing memorabilia , wooden floors, bench seating round the sides and then mostly plain wooden tables and chairs in the rest of the room area.
There’s also a decent size garden outback and the pub is dog friendly with water bowls and buscuits being provided.
The beers and service have been good on the couple of times I have visited and although it’s a bit of a walk from the city centre, it can be combined with the nearby Black Horse for a visit to a couple of Leicester’s better real ale pubs.
On 13th December 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
neil prior left this review about The Western
well impressed with this pub, the management and staff extremely helpful and polite. I was able to run my partners 40th Bday party by hiring one side of the pub. Communication from the staff leading upto the party was excellent and to have the staff and managemt assist in the setting up of the room was a real bonus and very much appreciated.I would recommend this pub as an excellent venue for a party of about 50 to 70 guests with use of one side of the pub...i shall certainly be looking for future use of the premises..thankyou all at the Western....a great night had by all :) and Merry Xmas to you :)....oh and the beers are awesome !!
On 13th December 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
matt england left this review about The Western
Now owned by the owners of the Cow and Plough in Oadby (the best pub in Leicester IMHO).
Expect lots of pub memorabilia and the best ale for miles around.
On 30th June 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 61 recommendations about 61 pubs]