Leicester in The Spotlight

6 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Leicester

Continuously inhabited for over 2,000 years, Leicester truly is the beating heart of England. It’s a unique city and a wonderful place to live, with a superb range of attractions and shopping that is second to none. It’s a city that combines the finest English traditions with multicultural activities and the cosmopolitan buzz of city life. King Richard III, Diwali, a Space Station and the largest fresh food market in Europe are just a few of the surprises Leicester has to offer.

King Richard III – Lost & Found

Named as one of Lonely Planet’s ‘Hottest’ attractions in the world for 2015, the Kind Richard III Visitor Centre has been created around the poignant place where King Richard III’s remains were buried for more than half a millennium – one of the most fascinating and intriguing historic sites in England and only a few paces from where the king’s final resting place can be found in Leicester Cathedral.

Largest Diwali Celebrations outside of India

Leicester’s Diwali celebrations are said to be among the biggest outside India, with up to 35,000 people attending the switch-on of the lights on Belgrave Road and even more attending Diwali day itself in the heart of the city’s Asian community. With an amazing fireworks display and live cultural entertainments on stage as the festival of light marks the start of the Hindu New Year.

Booming International Community

Leicester’s universities boast some of the highest number of students from Hong Kong and China in the UK. Last year, De Montfort University embarked on a £136 million creative and cultural centre focussing on everything from Chinese dance to British fashion. At the heart of this population is the Leicester Chinese Community Centre, a vibrant and thriving resource, serving the city and county’s Chinese population for over twenty years.

UK’s Largest Visitor Attraction Dedicated to Space

Located just two miles from Leicester City Centre; The Space Centre has plenty to offer, from the iconic Rocket Tower, to the UK’s largest domed planetarium. The National Space Centre is the UK’s largest visitor attraction dedicated to space and space exploration, welcoming around a quarter of a million visitors each year since its opening in June 2001.

The Great Central Railway

The Great Central Railway is the UK’s only double track, main line heritage railway. It’s the only place in the world where full size steam engines can be seen passing each other – just as it was when steam ruled the rails.

The railway has won a number of awards including “independent railway of the year”, a gold award for the East Midlands best visitor experience and is a quality assured visitor attraction as designated by Enjoy England.

Largest Fresh Food Market in Europe

And did we mention the largest fresh food market in Europe is in Leicester? Food is cheap, meaning a tight budget will go far. Voted ‘Britain’s Favourite Market’ Leicester Market is situated in the heart of the city centre and is open for six days a week, Monday to Saturday, every week of the year. It’s the largest and finest market of its type in Europe with a strong tradition for quality and service stretching back seven hundred years.

More and more people are choosing to move to Leicester having their eyes opened to new experiences and exciting possibilities. Why not find out what Leicester has to offer you, who know’s, maybe you’ll discover something as well.

This Article was written by Harri Laitalainen, a property investment fanatic, marketing professional, and herbal tea addict.

Note: The views expressed are the author’s own and do not reflect in any way, the views of Aspen Woolf. Readers are advised to carry out their own due diligence before taking any decision.