A NEW exhibition at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery will explore the history, identity and everyday life of Evington through the area’s shops and businesses.
Opening on Saturday (7 March), Popping to the Shops: Evington provides a snapshot of life in contemporary Leicester by telling the stories of the people who own and run shops on Evington Road and Main Street today.
Co-curated with the community, the exhibition uses objects from the museum’s collections, photographs from the archives and items loaned by local businesses to bring Evington’s story to life.
Evington’s place in Leicester’s history – from the Roman conquest to the present day – is charted too, with the exhibition exploring how the area has evolved over time.
But at the heart of the exhibition are the stories of eight local businesses, including the memories of Steve Bennett, whose family took over a small shop on Main Street in 1971 when he was a baby.
Six years later, Bennett’s Hardware moved next door to 30 Main Street – where Steve and his wife continue to trade today, selling DIY products, garden supplies, wild bird food and light bulbs to customers from all over Leicester.
“Evington village has changed a lot in our 54 years here,” he said.
“But although we have lost two banks, a petrol station and many other businesses in that time, we still have the pub and many other fantastic shops.”
Atlas Travel has been part of Evington Road for 16 years, providing a personalised service to those wishing to book honeymoons, family holidays, business travel or religious trips.
Aadam Navsa of Atlas Travel said: “It all started for us in a small shop on Margot Road, but demand for our services grew quickly. We moved into the old Halifax bank building at 128 Evington Road 16 years ago and have built up the business since then.
“Evington Road has shifted a lot since we arrived.
“It’s livelier, with more families, new cafes and food spots, fewer banks and more traffic.
“The community keeps evolving and so do we.”
Approaching its centenary at 120 Evington Road is Evington Wines.
Ollie March runs the family business, which was founded by his great-grandfather in May 1926.
“Most of our business is now online,” said Ollie.
“We have 1,000 people on our mailing list and returning customers from all over the country, so it’s going from strength to strength.
“There’s not much passing trade anymore, but you have to adapt.
“Once we get to 100, I’ve thought about moving to somewhere where there’s parking – somewhere where there’s a better market for fine wines. But there’s a lot of history here and it’s a lovely old place.”
Assistant city mayor Cllr Vi Dempster said: “We’re very pleased to highlight the stories of the people and businesses that make Evington such a distinctive part of our city.
“Popping to the Shops: Evington is a great example of how our museums can celebrate Leicester’s diverse neighbourhoods, and we’re proud to have worked with the community to co-curate this brilliant exhibition.”
The exhibition opens on Saturday (7 March) and continues until Sunday 4 October. Admission is free.
Popping to the Shops: Evington is the third exhibition in Leicester’s Popping to the Shops series. Previous projects have focussed on the shops and businesses on Narborough Road and Saffron Lane.
Popping to the Shops: Evington is supported using public funding from Arts Council England.
Picture caption: The mural on Evington Road, close to the Mere Road junction: 1970s