#123 White Lion, North Kilworth, Leicestershire : 1997 to 2012

North Kilworth is a village on the Leicester Section of the Grand Union Canal. It's not a place we've visited often and the details of our previous itineraries can be found here; #102 - The Swan.

This was on the evening of Tuesday 26th August 1997. In those days this was a fairly bog standard village pub and a perfectly acceptable place to spend an evening...and we did!

It was another six years before we stopped at North Kilworth again, this time a lunchtime visit.

 This was on Tuesday 19th August 2003 and what a change. The outside had been given a much needed redecoration with completely new signage. This was during the phase when Marston's were upgrading their estate of pubs and so inside it had also been renewed. (Notice, also, the original four wires have been replaced by just one!)

We haven't been back to the village since 2003, but last year I was passing through so I took the opportunity to take a photo to see how the White Lion has changed in another nine years.

This was on Sunday 16th December 2012. On the face of it there haven't been any obvious changes, but on closer inspection there are some subtle alterations. The hanging sign has changed and the bus stop has disappeared. Also, the paint on the outside of the left hand building (not sure if it is now part of the pub!) is peeling in a similar way to the 1997 picture!

Subsequent research shows that the White Lion had been closed and not long reopened as a wet led pub...but I think that it now has a Chinese restaurant (inc. takeaway) associated with it. It is always good to see a pub that is surviving through difficult times...let's hope it can continue to exist.