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King Richard III, Leicester
Leicester
LE1 4NN
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about King Richard III
This is a nice, traditional pub sat between the historic buildings around the Cathedral and the modern shopping centre complex. You enter into the front bar - a rather spartan space with vinyl flooring and dominated by a pool table. The room has half panelled walls and part obscured front windows plus a juke box, but its most striking feature is its vast array of football memorabilia, including countless pennants from clubs across the globe, the shields of every Premier League football club from several seasons ago, a signed England shirt and of course, a TV screen showing the afternoon's early kick off. Seating here is limited to a few standard chairs and low stools down the right hand side and some bar stools along a ledge to the left. A wide, glass topped archway leads through to the main bar which is partly carpeted and has a simple tongue and groove panelled servery along the left hand wall. The low stools and fixed bench seating opposite seemed to be the place of choice for locals to congregate when I arrived early on a Saturday afternoon. The bar back has a bank note collection on display, a TV screen showing the same televised match and was adorned with a truly remarkable amount of Christmas decorations. A large portrait of Richard III hangs on the back wall near a nice tiled fireplace, with a lot of information boards on hand to provide a bit of history. A door leads into a rear room which is as sparingly furnished as the front bar, with virtually no seating but a number of dartboards and a large collection of trophies in a cabinet, which suggests the game is played competitively here. There is another tiled fireplace here - much smaller than the one in the other room and partly obscured by a dartboard on the hearth. The TV in here was switched off as no customers frequented the room, but music was playing quietly, which was a bit strange. There are stairs leading up to a function room which apparently has a counter-less bar with a Victorian 'dresser' servery sporting two disused hand pumps on the bar back, but sadly I was not aware of this at the time of my visit, so I missed the chance to see this unusual survivor.
The servery I did see had two ales on, both from Everards - Tiger and Sleighbell - with a third handpull unclipped. The friendly barman gave me a warm welcome and poured a very enjoyable pint of Tiger. A visit to Leicester isn't really complete without a well kept pint of this excellent beer.
This is a fairly basic pub perhaps best suited to football fans and those wishing to play pool or darts. The place can't really be described as cosy, but there was a warmth of sorts whether it be from the friendly barman or the amiable Leicester City fans who slowly filled the place prior to a home fixture. I wouldn't rule this place out in the future and would definitely try to sneak a look upstairs if I ever found myself back here.
On 21st January 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about King Richard III
Two ales on handpump on our visit, Everards Tiger and Everards Tighthead. The pub was busy on our Sat afternoon visit, with a mixture of shoppers and regulars playing pool. The bar area is small and getting a drink was easy as no one stood around the bar drinking.
On 3rd February 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about King Richard III
Fairly basic locals, local in the city centre. A well patronised pool table in the room at the front as you open the door with football plaques all over the wall. A small bar area with a few bar stools and another room to the rear with a dartboard and some tables & chairs. This is mainly a vertical drinking pub though. There are loads of trophies behind the bar, so they're good at pub sports and there are loads of England flags. It's an Everards pub with 3 of their beers on handpump on the bar. I had a pint of a seasonal beer called Yakima which was in good condition. It is a very basic boozer, but any pub that has Papillon by Editors playing on the jukebox is all right by me and gets an extra point.
On 28th March 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Richard III
A basic ,locals boozer behind the High Cross shopping centre.
Strange kind of layout. You enter via the public bar area which is dominated by a large pool table, flat screen tele and copious amounts of football club pendants hanging from the ceiling and no seating.
Keep going and then you get to the slightly separate bar area which has a bench seating area, and again the bar being festooned with more football paraphanalia. Keep going again and you enter another area with a few tables and chairs and dartboard and then keep going again for the toilets.
Front bar was very busy with locals at 5.30ish last Saturday when me and no 1 son sought solace from John Lewis and Debenhams. But we ploughed our way through to the bar and seating area behind and were rewarded by a very nice pint of Tiger and fast and firendly service by the bustling Land Lady and Land Lord. Not a smart pub, but if you are after a decent pint of Everards served couteously with a smile, then you can't go wrong with The Richard III. And being cockneys, we did have a good laugh at the name.
On 26th October 2008
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]