Thursday Doors Victoria Park Road

Victoria Park used to be a race course in the centre of Leicester. When the horse races shifted south to Oadby, Victoria Park became a … park. These crumbling Victorian villas are situated on the southern edge of the park.

Some fine decoration on the arch around the door

With plain stone surround, stained glass inserts, coach lights and a red door

The lead protection over the ornate brickwork is falling down

You get a glimpse of the tiled mosaic floor of the hallway

Seen better days

So has the car parked outside, which hasn’t moved for months

Finally, Montello, a fine front portico

Thursday Doors in Church Gate

The recent snow, followed by rainstorms, followed by more snow has made walking in the countryside around Leicester a mudbath.

We walked along the canal, but some towpaths were flooded.

We wandered into Abbey Park – busy with people exercising themselves, their children and their dogs. So we decided to do a stroll in the urban jungle of Church Gate. This runs from Gravel Street to the Clock Tower, meeting the Haymarket and joining Fosse Way. Some buildings are impressive, but most of the street is sadly run down, with boarded up shops and rubbish cluttering the doorways. The old auction rooms have moved to the west of the city, near Leicester Forest East.

Just a few photos to give you the general idea.

Some of the architecture is solid and refined.

I don’t know what happened to TJ’s Burgers, Halal food, dodgy upstairs window, but the iPhone hiccoughed at a crucial moment

Next door to TJs is Onyx, at Granary Mews. This is one of the most salubrious night clubs in the city, sadly closed by Covid restrictions. Only £5 admission and open until 6am (but no further admissions allowed after 4am for some odd reason). It looks a bit like a gaol.

Moving away from Church Gate to St Martin’s, we saw a barbershop. It’s for men’s hair only judging by the red symbol within the logo “Shortys”. And the alluring young lady wearing a tight top and red hot pants, wielding a pair of shears, perched on a barber’s pole. It has patriotic red-white-and-blue spirals, rather than the traditional barber surgeon red and white stripes (blood and bandages). Perhaps she does wet shaves with a cut-throat razor?

Thursday Doors in snow 3

This is my last batch of door pictures from Stoneygate in the snow. But the weather forecast says that more white stuff is on the way over the weekend.

Very trusting? Very welcoming? The red door porch is open, and the blue door is ajar. Maybe someone popped next door for a cup of sugar?

Stone and brick, classic black door set off by the silver wreath.

More half-timbered, faux Tudor mansions with an elaborate portico (needs attention)

Front yard with a skip.

Very elegant portico for number 47

Mirror image doors, dark and light grey. Milk still gets delivered in glass bottles to the doorstep each morning here.

Another pair of doors. Black and grey are popular colours. Interesting fanlight.

Stained glass along the top row, then frosted glass (appropriate for the weather). All set in a substantial black door with brass letter box

Another porch with an open door. Not very energy efficient.

Last snowy door photograph. Carriage lights at the site, brick surround.

Thursday Doors in snow 2

More photographs of doors in Leicester during the recent snowfall.

Mock tudor, with leaded window panes.

A little less black timber showing, but above the door there is a delightful stained glass window.

Mock tudor houses rule in Stoneygate!

Beautiful door, just ajar, inviting you in. Wonderful fanlight (lunette window above the door). And a coating of snow to set it all off.

Another smart door. These houses are over 100 years old.

This is a beauty, a solid door with glass panes and an elaborate brick and stone surround. I especially like the turret window.