Silver Street and The Lanes

From medieval streets to modern shopping

The area known as ‘The Lanes’ dates back to medieval Leicester with the street pattern remaining much the same for many centuries. Roughly following the ancient Roman road that connected the west and east gates of the town the street has had various names over the years but by 1587 it was known as Silver Street. The name probably comes from the silversmiths that had set up shop in the area. ‘Lowesby Lane’ is first mentioned in 1448, while the name Cart’s Lane doesn’t appear on the maps until the 18th century.

A place of entertainment

The only surviving old pubs in the area are the Globe and the Crown & Thistle (which is now part of O’Neill’s). In 1815 Nathanial Corah would meet in the Globe every Saturday morning with stockingers who had goods to sell. Nathanial’s descendants would go on to form the hugely successful Corah hosiery company. The Crown & Thistle was the only licenced premises that the Lord Mayor of Leicester could enter wearing his chain of office. For many years a ceremony was held on 24th June when the Lord Mayor called to collect the ground rent, which consists of a damask rose and four old pennies.

Today the area is a vibrant shopping district with many independent retailers

The Royal Opera House on Silver Street was built in 1877 and could hold up to 2,000 people.  The final performance at the Opera House was in 1960, when the building was demolished to make way for the Malcolm Arcade.

A famous venue on Silver Street was the Il Rondo Ballroom. It had been a dance hall for some years but became a major part of Leicester’s youth scene in the mid-1960s when it started to host live rock and pop music. Major bands such as the Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Who and Cream played here, as well as many big names of the British jazz scene. In particular, Il Rondo was where many Leicester locals got a chance to see American blues performers such as Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Champion Jack Dupree

Unique shopping

Since the 1960s Silver Street and The Lanes area has been known as a charming part of Leicester, full of small independent shops selling a wide range of items. It's a perfect example of how a carefully conserved past can create a vibrant future.

Find out more about visiting The Lanes.