5 Leicester Buildings I Will Buy When I Win The Lottery (UPDATE!)

It's been nearly four years since I wrote the last entry here and, incredibly, in all that time, I didn't win the lottery. However things have moved on for at least some of the buildings.

1. Friars Mill

Thankfully Leicester City Council bought what was left of this site for £550,000 and have redeveloped the site. You can see the difference...

Friars Mill Regeneration Project (Mat Fascione) / CC BY-SA 2.0

The (re)redevelopment is supposed to kickstart development of this whole riverside area and there are signs that this is happening. A long way to go though.

2. Hosier's house, Darker Street

Still empty and unloved as far as I know. Very sad. There was a flurry of activity last year around some similarly neglected buildings in Belgrave Gate which the owner wanted to demolish. Once again the council stepped in to prevent this but what will become of the buildings now?

3. Building in Orton Square

Still a snooker hall and occasional venue for a nightclub. Apart from that the building still looks in an awful state. Seems crazy that no-one has tried to do something with this place.

4. "Jeyes Garage", Belgrave Road

Still being used by a car washing firm, still deteriorating. I suspect art deco will never be fashionable in Leicester and this will eventually fall down. No one, not even the usual "heriatge" suspects seem to care about this one.

5. Stonesby House, Princess Road East

Better news about this one though. Developed (and extended) by James Sellicks it is now a collection of "luxury" apartments. The extensions are...OK but the house itself looks rather grand once more.