Plan to bring ‘dreary and depressing’ Leicester pub back into use backed by hundreds of residents

A former pub in Leicester which has been vacant for years looks set to be brought back into business, with residents voicing their support in their hundreds. The Mayflower, in Gervas Road, Thurnby Lodge, could be turned into a place of worship and community centre, documents uploaded to Leicester City Council’s website show.

The pub has been vacant since it closed in 2017 and was slated for demolition. However, after seven years it is still standing and has fallen into disrepair.

In August 2021, it was hit by a suspected arson attack. Some residents later told LeicestershireLive that it would have been better if the building had burned down. They said the area had become “depressing” and looked “run down” as a result of several empty properties, including the pub.

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A planning application to redevelop the pub was submitted to Leicester City Council in January. It proposes using the ground floor of the former pub as a place of worship and a “multipurpose room”.

The first floor would consist of classrooms and a conference room, the plans show. The building will be used between 9am and 9pm Monday to Friday and between 9am and 5pm at weekends.

The applicant expects 30 worshipers to attend regular prayers, with “larger numbers on Fridays”, and 75 students to attend evening classes held between 5pm and 7pm during the week.

Although the building would be renovated, “no significant external changes” are proposed. In the months since the petition was filed, it has received widespread support from the public.

Some 301 comments in favor of the plan were sent to the local authority, compared to just 41 objections. Supporters of the scheme were delighted that issues with the currently derelict space had been addressed and commented that the new center was needed by the local community.

Those opposed said they believed the land should be used for housing or brought back as a pub. There were also concerns that the proposed 23 parking spaces were insufficient and that additional visitors could lead to overcrowding in the area.

However, planning officers concluded that the plan provided “an acceptable amount of parking” and “would not pose an unacceptable risk to motorways”. They recommended councilors approve the scheme when they meet next week.