Sunday, August 16, 2015

Vanished Leicester: Charnwood Street

Copyright © Dennis Calow

Charnwood Street, Leicester, is gone but not forgotten. There is a blog devoted to preserving memories of what was once an important shopping street:
Charnwood Street in Leicester – popularly known as ‘Charny’ – was built in the early 1870s and demolished in 1970 when the area was redeveloped. It ran from Kent Street to Spinney Hill Road to the east of the city centre, parallel with Humberstone Road. ...
There were around 100 small shops in the street, including butchers, bakers, grocers and sweetshops, those selling new or second hand clothes, bicycles, prams, wool, radios (and later, televisions), and the famous ‘Paddy’s Swag Shop’ which sold almost anything you can imagine! 
The national shop chain of Wilkinson’s also started in a small shop in Charnwood Street.
Later. Thanks to a reader for pointing me to the Charnwood Street page on Highfields Remembered.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I lived in edwyn Street off charny.i diliverd papers from gills newsagent.charny had a vibrant feel.never a dull moment the terraced houses had outside toilets shared with at least two houses.no hot water and normally large family's.but I loved growing up there. Would not changed a thing.