Leicester then & now - Ben Beazley

Over the past century of so, the face of Leicester has changed dramatically. It did not sustain a large amount of bomb damage in comparison to other British cities during the Second World War, though one particular night-time raid on 19/20 November 1940, resulted in large areas of the centre and suburbs suffering at the hands of the enemy. Enough damage was caused to prompt the city planners to redevelop the centre for future generations. New roads were constructed, including the concentric ring roads that now circle the city, and slum areas were cleared to be replaced by inner city housing estates such as those at St Matthew's and St Peter's. All in all Leicester has developed at a frantic rate, and here Ben Beazley documents the changes that have taken place. Over 200 photographs with informative captions tell the story of Leicester's transformation and this book is sure to be an eye-opener for locals with memories of what has been lost, and gained, over the years.