STORIES from the Leicester road that dates from Roman times and is now one of the most ethnically-diverse shopping streets in the country will be told in a new exhibition at Newarke Houses Museum.
From Friday (26 January), Popping to the Shops will shine a spotlight on the city’s Narborough Road, looking back at its past and focusing on some of the people who live and work in the area today.
Featuring panoramic photos and interviews, the exhibition will also include memorabilia from past and present shops, including a teaching keyboard used at IntaSound (70 Narborough Road) and a pricing gun from the Narborough Road Wilko, which closed in 2022.
Anyone interested in the subject should also visit Westcotes Library, where a second exhibition will feature archive photographs of the Narborough Road area.
Popping to the Shops is supported using public funding by Arts Council England and continues until 28 April 2024.
A special family-friendly event on Saturday (27 January), inspired by the new exhibition, will feature storytelling and shopping-themed craft workshops.
The workshops – aimed at children aged five and over – will take place at 12 noon, 1pm and 2pm and tickets are £3. Places should be booked in advance by calling Newarke Houses Museum on 0116 225 4980. Tickets can also be bought online
Also taking place at Newarke Houses this week is an illustrated talk by local historian Cynthia Brown that focuses on another popular Leicester shopping street.
A nostalgic look back at some of the old shops on Charnwood Street (pictured), including the Aladdin’s cave that was Paddy’s Swag Shop, Issitt’s clothes shop and the first ever Wilkinson’s store, provides the theme for the hour-long talk at 2pm on Sunday 28 January
Tickets for Charnwood Street Shops cost £5, which includes refreshments. Tickets can be booked online or by calling the museum on 0116 225 4980.
The shopping theme continues into February, with another special event for those aged seven and under.
Story Imagin-ory will provide interactive storytelling sessions, coupled with a chance for youngsters to enjoy a fun, shopping-themed, role-playing experience.
Sessions will run on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 February, with tickets priced at £8 per child.
Places for each session must be booked in advance by calling the museum on 0116 225 4980 or by completing the online booking form.
Details of all events taking place at Leicester’s museums can be found at leicestermuseums.org/whats-on
Picture caption: Children pose for a photographer outside the shops on Charnwood Street