Lost Melton Pubs: The Fox Inn on Leicester Street

We start with The Fox Inn, in Leicester Street, which dates back to the mid-18th century and has been Grade two listed since 1976.

It was a busy town centre pub with thriving darts and pool teams until trade dropped off and it closed in 2011.

It has since housed the town’s foodbank, Storehouse, until it moved to the Hope Centre in Nottingham Street, and the building is currently occupied by staff for Melton and District Money Advice Centre.

A number of former owners and landlords contacted us via Facebook to talk about their time there.

Lisa Ann McDonald, used to run The Fox with Andy Street in the mid-1990s.

She said: “We worked for Roy Brown and opened up letting bedrooms during our first year.

"These accommodated lads that were working on the coal washroom at Asfordby Mine, they stayed Mon to Friday.

"Andy was a fab chef and the food side went really well.

"The very first Melton Day was during our first year and it was a fabulous day, extremely busy but great atmosphere.

"My daughter Hannah Street was 13-months-old when we had taken over the management – she's coming up for 31 now so it's a long time ago but I have some good memories of those two years.”

Jeanie Brown, who owned The Fox for a number of years, commented: “I loved the pub – it was a popular place for students from the local college,and popular for bed and breakfast.

"We had all the workmen staying that were demolishing the pit at Asfordby.

"It’s a shame it’s not a pub anymore.”

Neil and Alison ran the pub in the 1990s. He told us: “We had darts, pool and football teams, it was fantastic.

"One Melton Day we set up a stage at the back of the car park and had various DJs on.

"I remember changing the same barrel of lager twice in half-an-hour. What a day that was!”

And Rita Sloan has a very special memory of The Fox: “I met my late husband there. We met and married in seven days.”