New city leisure destination is on track to open soon
LEICESTER is set to welcome a new attraction in the coming weeks, as Lane7 opens in the former Leicester Central railway station.
The historic building, in Great Central Street, off the inner ring road, is being transformed into what the owner’s describe as a “leisure and nighttime destination”.
Although Lane7 is known as a bowling operator, the Leicester venue - the brand’s biggest site yet - will offer much more.
As well as bowling, visitors can look forward to entertainment options including mini golf, UV ping pong, arcade games and gaming tables, as well as a street food court and a variety of themed bars.
Lane7 is due to open in early October, but we were invited down to the site, where we were given a tour by director Tim Wilks.
The venue is starting to take shape, with all of the bowling alleys having been fitted, a mezzanine level added and shipping containers in place, ready to house the street food vendors and bars.
Tim is full of enthusiasm for this new development, and said that when he viewed the building, it took him less than 30 seconds to know it was perfect for Lane7.
“I’ve looked at hundreds of places over the past eight years and this is the job of a lifetime for us,” he said.
“We’ll never get to work on another building as beautiful as this one.”
He and his team have carefully ensured that the building is altered as little as possible.
“Why do too much with a building this beautiful?” he said.
The former Goods Yard area is set to become Leicester’s first permanent street food court, with five independent traders taking up residency.
Details have yet to be revealed about the traders, but there’s set to be food on offer from lunchtime seven days a week.
The large space behind the station’s main entrance will feature five different bar concepts, from a UV cocktail and frozen slushie bar to a 1960s gin kitchen.
There will be plenty of seating, and a 20ft x 10ft television on the wall - which can easily be viewed from the mezzanine level as well as at floor level.
According to Tim, this will be used for Lane7 events that have an interactive element, and, although the venue will not be a sports bar, larger sporting events will be shown here.
There are bowling lanes on both floors, with six downstairs and five upstairs.
The ground floor will also feature a UV ping pong room, a pool room with three American pool tables and a mini golf course.
Tim describes the course as “quite alternative” with a bit of everything, including lots of colour, different materials and the use of interactive technology.
Also downstairs will be a cold store, which is being turned into a feature, with uplighters underneath the vast original steels.
On the mezzanine level, the five bowling lanes will be joined by a retro arcade games area with loads of old favourites and gaming tables such as shuffleboard and beer pong.
There will be a seating area and guests will be able to order draught beer from an ice cream van which has been turned into a quirky bar.
Lane7 will create more than 50 jobs, with a range of full-time and part-time roles available.
The recruitment process has not yet begun, but those interested should keep an eye on the Lane7 social media accounts.