A Compendium of Coalville

Greetings! It's nice to be back in such a short space of time. Fingers crossed that this becomes the norm! Last week, blessed with a Friday off, and some decidedly spring like weather, it seemed as good a time as any to head out once again in search of great pubs and good beer. My chosen destination was something of a wild card and not somewhere that, at first glance, had much to offer the real ale connoisseur. Would it live up to its reputation as a real ale wasteland or were there hidden gems to discover? I was about to find out, as I breached the county boundary into Leicestershire to investigate Coalville. 

Coalville is an industrial town in the district of North West Leicestershire, with a population at the 2011 census of 34,575. It lies on the A511 trunk road between Leicester and Burton upon Trent, close to junction 22 of the M1 motorway where the A511 meets the A50 between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Leicester. It borders the upland area of Charnwood Forest to the east of the town.

Coalville is twinned with Romans-sur-Isère in southeastern France.

Coalville is a product of the Industrial Revolution. As its name indicates, it is a former coal mining town and was a centre of the coal-mining district of north Leicestershire. It has been suggested that the name may derive from the name of the house belonging to the founder of Whitwick Colliery: 'Coalville House'. However, conclusive evidence is a report in the Leicester Chronicle of 16 November 1833: 'Owing to the traffic which has been produced by the Railway and New Collieries on Whitwick Waste, land which 20 years ago would not have fetched £20 per acre (£50 per hectare), is now selling in lots at from £400 to £500 per acre (£1,000 to £1,200 per hectare), for building upon. The high chimneys, and numerous erections upon the spot, give the neighbourhood quite an improved appearance. We hear it is intended to call this new colony "COALVILLE" - an appropriate name.

In the early nineteenth century, the area now known as Coalville was little more than a track known as Long Lane, which ran approximately east–west, stretching between two turnpikes, Bardon and Hoo Ash. Long Lane divided the parishes of Swannington and Whitwick (both lying to the north of Long Lane) from the parishes of Snibston and Ibstock (both lying to the south). Hugglescote and Donington-le-Heath were part of Ibstock parish until 1878. A north-south track or lane stretching from Whitwick to Hugglescote crossed Long Lane, at the point where the clock tower war memorial now stands. This track or lane is now Mantle Lane and Belvoir Road. The Red House, an eighteenth-century building, close to this cross-roads, was one of very few buildings then standing.

Samuel Fisher, writing his memoirs at the end of the nineteenth century, described what the area looked like in 1832. Standing close to the position of the present-day clock tower, Fisher describes how, on looking down Long Lane towards Ashby, "we see a large tract of waste on both sides of the road, still traceable, covered with gorse-bushes, blackberry brambles, etc., with not a single house on either side of the way" until arriving at the Hoo Ash turnpike. Then, looking toward Hugglescote (down a track that is now Belvoir Road), "we see a magnificently timbered lane without a single house, with the exception of White Leys Farm and the Gate Inn on the Ashby Turnpike". In the direction of Bardon, there were no houses until arriving at a group of five or six cottages on the corner of what is now Whitwick Road and Hotel Street, and in the direction of Whitwick (the modern day Mantle Lane) there was nothing apart from a smithy and a carpenter's shop, and the houses of these tradesmen. These would have stood on the site of what is now The Springboard Centre (formerly Stablefords wagon works). From this wilderness emerged the modern town of Coalville, on a rapid scale, following the advent of deep coal mining.

Despite its emergence as one of the largest towns in Leicestershire, Coalville's history was not well documented until the establishment of historical societies in the 1980s, though some information had been put on record by a few independent local historians. In more recent years, a wealth of material charting the town's history has been published through the combined efforts of the Coalville 150 Group and the Coalville Historical Society and in 2006, these two groups amalgamated to form the Coalville Heritage Society.

Coal has been mined in the area since the medieval period, a heritage also traceable in the place name Coleorton, and examples of mine workings from these times can be found on the Hough Mill site at Swannington near the Califat Colliery site. A life-sized horse gin has been built on the Hough Mill site and craters can be seen in the ground, where the medieval villagers dug out their allocation of coal.

The seam is at ground level in Swannington, but gradually gets deeper between Swannington and the deepest reserves at Bagworth; consequently, it was not until mining technology advanced that shafts were sunk in the district now known as Coalville, beginning with Whitwick in 1824 and at Snibston in 1831.

Deep coal mining was pioneered by local engineer William Stenson who sank the Long Lane (Whitwick) Colliery on a relative's farm land in the 1820s. In doing so, Stenson ignored an old miner's dictum of the day, "No coal below stone", and sank his shaft through a layer of 'Greenstone' or 'Whinstone' to the coal below. This effectively opened up the 'concealed coalfield.' This was followed by the mine at Snibston, by George Stephenson in the early 1830s, and Stephenson was also responsible for the creation of the Leicester and Swannington Railway at the same time.

Quarrying, textile and engineering industries, such as railway wagon production, also grew in the town during the 19th century. Stenson is sometimes described as 'the Father of Coalville'.

Coal-mining came to an end in Coalville during the 1980s. Six collieries – Snibston, Desford, Whitwick, Ellistown, South Leicester and Bagworth – closed in and around Coalville in an eight-year period from 1983 to 1991, resulting in about five thousand men being made redundant.

The disused colliery at Snibston was regenerated into Snibston Discovery Park but controversially closed in 2015 by Leicestershire County Council. The area formerly occupied by Whitwick Colliery has been redeveloped as the Whitwick Business Park and which incorporates a Morrison's supermarket. There is also a small memorial garden here, established in memory of 35 men who died in the Whitwick Colliery Disaster of 1898, which occurred as a result of an underground fire, though sadly, the etched metal plaque commemorating this terrible calamity has (of 2014) been removed from the large granite memorial boulder.

Within thirty years of the town's birth as a result of the collieries, many additional industries became established within the town, such as flour milling, brick making, engineering and the manufacture of elastic web.

During the twentieth century, Coalville was home to Palitoy, a toy manufacturer that made Action Man, Action Force, Tiny Tears, Pippa, Tressy, Merlin, Star Wars figures and the Care Bears. The company was founded by Alfred Edward Pallett in 1909 to produce celluloid and fancy goods. Their first toy was in 1920 and the first doll in 1925. The Palitoy site was closed in 1994.

Aggregate Industries has its headquarters at Bardon Hill Quarry and is one of the five largest construction material suppliers in the UK. The company was originally established in 1858, though an early reference to a granite quarry at Bardon Hill appeared in 1622, in William Burton's "Description of Leicestershire".

TEREX Pegson Limited is a UK manufacturer of mobile crushing machines, and is part of the Terex Corporation. Pegson is headquartered in Coalville, with a distribution centre for North America in Louisville, Kentucky. The manufacturing plant has been located for many years on Mammoth Street, off the Whitwick Road and the company is able to trace its origins to the company of Samuel Pegg and Son, which was originally set up on Alexander Street, Leicester in 1830, when its main concern was connected with hosiery machinery.

Tulip Foods (formerly Belvoir Bacon) on Mantle Lane was incorporated as a limited company on 1 July 1954, having started about twenty years previously, as a slaughterhouse supplying pork products to a local shop in Coalville owned by the Bloor family. By the 1960s the factory had begun to distribute its products nationally. The factory became known locally as "Piggy Bloor's". The Belvoir name was replaced by Tulip in 2003.

Numerous business parks and industrial estates have been established in and around Coalville following the decline of coal-mining and allied industries. Calder Colours, based on the Coalville Business Park, are manufacturers of art and craft materials. In 2014 this company produced the hundreds of litres of red top coat and terracotta base coat paint for the commemorative art installation at the Tower of London entitled Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, marking the centenary of the outbreak of World War I.

In October 2016, Amazon opened in Coalville its biggest fulfilment Centre in the United Kingdom (named BHX2). Reportedly occupying an area equivalent to 19 football fields, the centre employs hundreds of citizens in the Leicestershire region and is operational twenty four hours a day.

I've visited former mining towns before, mostly in Derbyshire, with limited degrees of success, so I was interested to see at which end of the spectrum Coalville would fall. Despite no longer having a passenger train station, the town is still accessible via public transport, in my case a 90 minute bus journey from Nottingham city centre on the Skylink. I arrived in the town just after 1pm on what had certainly turned out to be a mild day for the time of year. I had identified a number of stops for the afternoon so, orienting myself as best I could, I headed for the first of these, which I had actually passed on the bus a few minutes earlier. Lying at the very edge of the town was my first destination, the Victoria Bikers Pub.

As the name suggests, the pub caters to bikers and truckers but the casual drinker and dogs are also made welcome. The pub is a popular live music venue with bands every weekend and opens until the early hours on Friday and Saturday nights. Regular activities focus heavily on motorbikes and rock and metal music with mini festivals held on a regular basis. The majority of the pub's trade is at weekends and, as such, it only opens in the daytime Monday-Thursday, with split opening hours on a Friday. I timed my trip to ensure I could visit during the early trading session. Inside, there is a small space to the front with seating to the left and a pool table and toilet access to the right. To the rear, is a much larger space leading to further seating areas and the stage. At the time I arrive, the rear section is closed and in darkness. The small front section is open though and I am greeted by the landlord as the only customer when I arrive. The bar is L-shaped with the smaller arm serving the small front room and the longer section extending to the rear. I am pleased to see 2 handpulls on the bar, one of which appears to be in use. Further inquiries confirm that this is indeed the case and I begin the day with Purity Mad Goose. Taking my drink, I perch near the pool table whilst I survey my surroundings. It's obvious that this place must have a fantastic atmosphere in the evening, with customers jammed in to watch live music. Gig posters past and present cover the walls inside, along with motorcycle memorabilia and photos of the Hairy Bikers. It reminds me a great deal of Ye Olde Salutation in Nottingham, a regular haunt for myself as well as bikers and metal bands. The Mad Goose is in good condition and certainly quenched my thirst after the circuitous bus journey through the villages of rural Leicestershire. Upon leaving, I noticed a number of crosses displayed on a wall under the pub's roadside sign. These are dedicated to deceased rock and metal musicians, both of international fame and also lesser known local figures. It's a nice touch.

Heading back the way I had come, I made my way back into town proper, arriving back on London Road where I started. I had next intended to visit the Leicester Inn a short distance but a sign on the chalkboard mounted near the door explained that they were closed due to 'unforeseen curcumstance' (sic). Undeterred, I immediately turned my attention to another location slightly further down the road. Next stop, the Stamford & Warrington.

A traditional town pub, this former coaching inn is recognised is on CAMRA's list of historic pubs due to its unchanged interior. The former archway for coaches remains to the left of the building and the original stables still exist to the rear. The pub was re-fronted in the 1920s and then refitted into its current state in the 1950s/60s, remaining remarkably unchanged since that time, especially surprising given its town centre location. The public bar to the right has a lino tiled floor, a bar counter with ribbed hardboard frontage and a Formica top, a bar back dating to the 1950s/60s and a tiled fireplace from the same era, now with a gas fire in front of it. The seating takes the form of fixed benches with red Formica topped tables. The door to the left inside the entrance previously provided access to the lounge bar but now forms part of the licensee's accommodation. Of the original 1920s features only the 'Vaults' and 'Smoke Room' windows remain. An extension to the rear during the refit has enabled the toilets to be brought inside. The pub is named after the Earls of Stamford & Warrington and payment is by cash only, with a handy reminder of this taped to the entrance door. There are already a small number of regulars in the pub when I arrive, curious as to what I will discover. The bar takes up almost all of the left hand wall of the room, with seating opposite. The licensees are die-hard Wolverhampton Wanderers fans, as evidenced by the club memorabilia scattered around the back bar and on the walls. I was also shocked to see a surprising number (i.e. more than zero) of gollywogs adorning the shelves behind the bar. Whether the licensees are aware of the strongly negative connotations of this choice of decoration is not immediately obvious but it was quite jarring to see such a thing in 2022, even in a pub as unchanged as this one. There is a bank of 3 handpulls on the bar but only one beer is served, namely Marston's Pedigree. I supped my beer whilst propped at the bar, ostensibly minding my own business and feigning interest in the horse racing on the TV. I'd forgotten at this point that is was Cheltenham Gold Cup day so should expect to see this in the rest of the pubs I was in. The Pedigree wasn't bad. It was by no means the best pint of it that I've had and it certainly wasn't the worst. I also took some time to further peruse the less upsetting decorations, a lot of which were photos from foreign holidays displayed on one the bar's support pillars. 

Leaving the Stamford after finishing my beer, I turned left and headed in the general direction of Memorial Square where the town's impressive war memorial clock towers over the nearby buildings. Reaching Belvoir Road, I turned left and made my down into the main shopping area of the town. A short walk away, on the left, is The Engineers Arms. 

Operated by Amber Taverns, the Engineers Arms is a community-driven locals pub on one of the main roads through Coalville. The interior is open plan with lots of seating, consisting of scrubbed tables and chairs both plain wood and upholstered. The bar is on the left of the main room with the interior divided up by pillars. TV screens are located on the wall opposite the bar where there is also access to the toilets. A large, comfortable beer garden is to the rear, complete with smoking shelter, and is an effective sun trap. This was a slightly busier pub than my previous stop and certainly seemed to attract a younger clientele. Everyone seemed engrossed in the horse racing which at least meant that there was plenty of space at the bar. However, my heart sank when I quickly noticed a complete lack of handpulls anywhere in sight. This is despite cask ale being mentioned on the pub's website. Luckily, it wasn't all bad. The Engineers stocks Newcastle Brown Ale so, determined to make the best of a bad situation, I ordered a bottle and headed outside to the very well-appointed beer garden to enjoy it. The garden is certainly very nice, with lots of space for outside drinking and dining and, more excitingly, a Star Wars mural on one wall in a nice nod to a now sadly defunct local toy manufacturer. Thus far, the day had gone as I suspected it might. I was holding out hope that things may improve as the day wore on. At least the sun was out. 

I was hungry by the time I left the Engineers so I quickly located the local branch of a certain national bakery chain and spent some time sat in the sun in the nearby shopping precinct enjoying some much-needed sustenance. I didn't want to get too ahead of myself for time as I still had a few hours before my bus back so I went for a bit of a wander where I discover a nice, scenic park built on the site of the old Snibston Colliery. The headstocks, old pit buildings and disused coal train railway lines are still in situ as a remnant of the town's industrial past. My next location again saw me back on Belvoir Road but this time on the junction with the high street, in the shadow of the war memorial. It was time to visit the Snibstone New Inn.

 

This roughly square Marston's pub sits on a busy road junction. Internally, there is one large room for drinking and dining, a smaller room to the left through an alcove and another room to the rear which now houses the pool table and juke box. The bar is central and seating is scattered throughout the space immediately around it. Seating is a mixture of high tables and chairs, as well as lower seating areas with benches and also some bar stools. The main entrance to the pub is on Belvoir Road and there is also a second door to the side which exits onto the high street. The proximity to the war memorial is reflected in military memorabilia inside, including flags of various military regiments displayed on the ceiling. The pub also does a lot of work for local veterans charities. This is by far the busiest pub of the day. It is filled with regulars settling in for the horse racing and stopping by for a quick one before planning to return later. I manage to squeeze into a space at the bar and eventually manage to procure a vacant bar stool. There is a bank of 3 handpulls here, once again offering Pedigree as the solitary beer. I dive in and order a pint which I drink sitting at the bar. In terms of atmosphere, this is certainly a friendly and welcoming pub. The community ties are obvious and it's clear that the staff here work hard to ensure that their regulars and other customers are looked after. I had a relaxing time here, enjoying a very well kept pint of Pedigree.

I had a slight dilemma at this stage, at least as far as the trip was concerned. My plan was to visit the local micropub, Bitter & Twisted, which much research had told me opened at 5 on a Friday. I decided to while away the time where I was as I felt that I had seen all there really was to see in Coalville at this stage. 5.10pm rolled around and I made my over to the micropub, only to see it still closed. The sign on the door certainly suggested that it should have been open. A bit perturbed, and with my bus not due for another hour, I resolved to return to the Snibstone for another beer and then try the micro again. Half an hour later and still no dice. I came to the conclusion that perhaps it was actually opening at 6. With my bus due at 6.15, I had no time to wait around. With a tad of disappointment in my heart, I climbed back onto the bus and began the journey back to Nottingham. I had been hoping that the micropub would have been another bright spot on what had been a rather indifferent trip. I did, at least, find a ten pound note on the floor. You win some etc.

The bus trip back gave me adequate time to reflect on my day out. Coalville is best described as a place very much of its time. Whilst there is a sense of community, as would be expected in a town that grew from industry and where close bonds would be needed, there is also a notion of a place being left by the wayside. Mining, and other former industrial towns, quite often feel that the heart and soul of the place is missing which, in a sense, it is. It's a tough one. Towns like Coalville obviously do enough to keep themselves going but I can't help but feel that there was something missing. Whilst the pubs were all very different, the beer range left much to be desired but it's not just about that. It's about a sense of place. Too often, towns like Coalville are left to fall away, which takes more than just businesses with it. Let's hope it doesn't happen here too.