[1] With your back to the Town Hall (and facing the fountain) turn right to cross Town Hall Square, and turn left onto Bishop Street.
[2] Follow Bishop Street to the junction with Granby Street then turn right and continue up to the crossroads/ junction with Belvoir Street.
[3] Here, turn left to cross Granby Street (at the pedestrian traffic lights) and walk ahead up Rutland Street until you reach Charles Street.
[4] Turn right (crossing Rutland Street at the pedestrian traffic lights) and proceed along Charles Street. Some way down this road, note the Central Baptist Church to your right.
(A) The Central Baptist Church is a fine Georgian Building built in 1830 and enlarged in 1861 to accommodate approximately 1000 people.The Baptist Movement was strongly associated with temperance during the 19th century.
[5] Continue along Charles Street, towards the busy main road junction ahead. On reaching the corner, cross left over Charles Street (both carriageways) using the pedestrian traffic lights. Then, from the traffic island, use the pedestrian lights to cross right over the busy dual-carriageway (St Georges Way).
Caution: Be aware of multiple traffic lanes and heavy traffic at this junction. Wait for the pedestrian phase of the traffic lights to cross.
[6] On reaching the far side, turn right and walk along the road (now Waterloo Way) passing the junction of Campbell Street.
Caution: Watch for possible fast traffic from the right as you cross Campbell Street.
(B) Site of the former Midland Railway Station (Leicester Campbell Street Station), built in 1840 and demolished in 1892 when the present London Road Station was built. It was from here that Thomas Cook's first organised trip to Loughborough took place in 1841. One of the stone pillars of the original station can still be seen.
[7] Bearing left on to London Road you will see a statue of Thomas Cook in front of London Road Railway Station.
(C) The Statue is by James Butler, who is responsible for two other statues in Leicester, The Seamstress Statue outside the City Rooms and Richard III in Castle Gardens. It was unveiled in 1991 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the historic Loughborough excursion.
[8] Glance at the Victorian architecture of the railway station, before retracing your steps to just before Campbell Street. Use the pedestrian crossing to the left to cross Waterloo Way, then walk ahead along Granby Street.
Caution: Once again be aware of multiple traffic lanes and heavy traffic.
On the left hand side of Granby Street, opposite Northampton Street, is a building with cream/beige brick arch above the central window.
(D) Temperance Hotel. Most recently The Royal Liver assurance building and currently under refurbishment, this building began life in 1853 as The Commercial Hotel, run by Marianne Cook for her husband's teetotal visitors to Leicester. The Temperance Hall used to stand to the left. The hotel was the first building in Leicester to receive a pure water supply from Thornton Reservoir. The Hall was an impressive building, and a sketch is available to view on the internet (see Acknowledgments).
(E) It is also worth noting, further along the street on the right hand side, the white building next to the Turkey Café (opposite Bishop Street). This was Thomas Cook’s second residence in Leicester, 'Cook's Rooms' between 1843 and 1854. It served as his Temperance Commercial Boarding House, reading room, cheap printing office and excursion booking office.
Continue walking along Granby Street (crossing Belvoir Street and later Horsefair Street at the pedestrian traffic lights). Granby Street becomes the pedestrianised Gallowtree Gate. Head towards the Clock Tower and just before it, look to a building on your left.
(F) The Thomas Cook Building. Built in 1894 as a memorial to Thomas Cook, the building provides a fine example of a Victorian facade. There are a set of four stone friezes depicting the following:
1841 Thomas Cook's first trip from Leicester to Loughborough
1851 A trip to the Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace
1884 A trip to The Sudan
1891 A crossing of the Forth Bridge
Looking across East Gates on the corner of Church Gate you will see a timbered, ornate building.
(G) Now a Cruise clothing shop,this Grade II listed building was formerly The East Gates Coffee House, designed by Thomas Burgess in 1885. It was one of eight similar establishments in Leicester promoted by the Temperance Movement to support abstinence.
[9] Turn left into East Gates.
[10] Turn left again into Cheapside and walk past the covered market on your right. At the end of the road, cross over and turn right (Market Place South), with the covered market still on your right. Just before the Fish Market building (now Lloyds TSB) you reach a small paved area (Dolphin Square).
[11] Cut through the passageway by Dolphin Square, cross Horsefair Street and return to Town Hall Square.
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