History of Leicester street to be celebrated in two exhibitions

Leicester City Council describes Narborough Road as "one of the most ethnically-diverse roads in the country"

Two exhibitions will celebrate the history of a Leicester street that dates back to Roman times.

'Popping to the Shops' starts on 26 January and focusses on Narborough Road's past and present.

Held at Newarke Houses Museum and Westcotes Library, the exhibitions will showcase the history of the area.

There will be panoramic photos and interviews with people whose memories go back to the early 1960s.

Objects and memorabilia from past and present shops will also be on display at Newarke Houses Museum.

The exhibition at Westcotes Library will use archive photographs of the area, together with a brief history of the shops shown in the images. Both will run until 28 April.

'Lots more nationalities'

Michael John Malloy, whose family business at 188-190 Narborough Road has been trading since 1964, is one of those sharing their memories.

"When we started, we were selling everything," he said.

"The main difference now is the people - there are a lot more nationalities here today, and fewer students, who now all live in purpose-built apartments."

Igor Muzica is from Boon Boon, a bakery specialising in Eastern European baked goods that opened in 2023.

"I like the street because here you can meet people from other countries - like Bulgaria and Slovakia - and ask them about their culture and about the cakes in their country," Igor said.

Other interviews featured in the exhibition reflect the changing make-up of the Narborough Road population.

Deputy city mayor Adam Clarke said the project "shines a light on some of the people who help make Narborough Road the vibrant area it is today".

Popping to the Shops is supported by Arts Council England funding.