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Wednesday 19 May 2021

Percy Gee Building University of Leicester

 For many years the mainstay of student social life at the University, in the Bars and concert hall. I first met Percy for a Lindisfarne concert in Queens hall late 1978 - and then I came to work at the University in 1980. In house days The Percy Gee had a Nat West bank, Travel Agent, a general shop for stationery etc  - A book shop & a record shop.  a snooker room !! - A Laundry, & later, for a while an opticians,  and much more

Most of these photos are somewhat later. -Didn't usually take a camera with me, but if I find anything else, I'll update



2008-2021


2008 - with crowds waiting to see the Queen & Prince Philip


That would be these two ---



This merge shows front and rear 2020, with the new frontage nearing completion






These few from April 2021

The Redfearn Bar was so much part of my early experiences in Leicester. Very typical of SU bars in those days - Beer, fags Beer, and a bit more beer.  Always a range of hand pulled real ales. Open all year round. In the 80s the Uni had far fewer students,  and a tiny population over the summer. Sometime only two or three customers all evening -but was rammed during term. The pics below from 1983 ish



The Bar


Eric the Barman



Phil Callan


?? / ?? /Mel Finnis/Phil Callan/ Pete Williams/ ?? / Angela Tole/ ??
(I think) - mostly Engineers


 


--and these two, much later ---2009


The Queens Hall was a fantastic venue. (It's gone)  Lots of really good bands. First I saw was Lindisfarne in 1978, and the last -- "Bars & Melody" in 2016. - With many others in between e.g.



Lindisfarne


Boomtown Rats


Ian Dury


Robert Plant


Nils Lofgren




Bars and Melody 

The hall was used for many other events - Freshers',  Markets, Exams- -and Medics Revues









Craft market etc- late 90s/2000







Food, glorious food - also 2000 ish - When there was decent food at a sensible price,
 and not a Pumpkin spiced Latte in sight.


Before social distancing was a thing

Revue 2005

Following pics from a  walk around he building in 2009, before that refurb --







Phone kiosks a legacy of the time before mobiles



Snooker room had long closed, but the sign remained



Before an earlier refurb the Bank was on the right through those glass doors. with e bookshop beyond, a record shop on the left, and the main shop further on


just the one shop



The Pit/Mandella bar

2021 Refurb

No doubt it looks bright & modern, but perhaps rather too much
in "Costly Coffee & Corporate Catering" sort of way. 
But if that's what the students want ----