East Midlands Tourism

One of the country’s top shopping destinations, Leicester offers designer labels and all the big name stores. From the individuality of the Leicester Lanes to the exquisite sarees and jewellery along the Belgrave Road, there really is something to suit all tastes and budgets. 

 

Highcross Leicester – a city in transformation

Highcross Leicester opened in September 2008, making Leicester one of the UK’s top ten destinations for aspirational and lifestyle shopping.

Highcross Leicester bringings together a collection of retail brands and fashion concepts that will establish Leicester as the regional shopping destination of choice.  Highcross will bring together innovative design, iconic architecture, and a much wider choice of leading retail brands and fashion concepts – some of which have never been seen before in the city.

The retail line-up includes: John Lewis, Zara, Reiss, Next, H&M, New Look and Republic.     

With over 100,000 m² of shopping on offer, there will be plenty of choice at Highcross Leicester. Add to that highstreet heavyweights such as John Lewis, House of Fraser, and Debenhams and you’re sure to find retail heaven.

 

This charming, cosmopolitan area of the city centre is a must for all visitors. With its small lanes surrounding the hub of St. Martin’s Square itself, it is home to an intriguing variety of independent fashion, interior and gift shops. Look for designer labels in places like Limeys and //net; discover shoe heaven in Solution, Tin Fish and Jade, and wallow in classy interiors and home accessories in Powder Blue, Harlequin and Abode.

Leicester Market
One thing no visitor to the city should miss is Leicester Market. Steeped in over 700 years of history, it is Europe’s largest covered market and is always a hive of activity. Marvel at the unusual mixture of vegetables from around the world, and seek out the excellent fish market in the Market Centre for a mouth-watering array of quality fresh food.

Gallowtree Gate
Leicester’s lively main shopping thoroughfare is where mainstream fashion and footwear retailers reign. Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Faith sit alongside household names like WHSmith, bHS and Boots. This busy pedestrianised street is often buzzing with street entertainers and pavement artists.

Humberstone Gate
Humberstone Gate boasts the futuristic style Haymarket Towers complex, which includes the extended Marks & Spencer, leading sports shop JJB Sports and popular clothing retailers, Gap and New Look. This wide pedestrianised area is also the main place for city centre events.

High Street
Now thriving more that ever before, the High Street offers a stylish range of shops, including Habitat, HMV, Joseph (for men) and French Connection. Amabis, Discovery and Dominoes toy store are among the range of gift shops you will also find here.

Belvoir Street & Market Street
This is where stylish bars and cafes sit amongst intriguing specialist shops. Belvoir Street and Market Street offer an eclectic mix of places from Waterstones bookshop and Austin Reed to small jewellers and confectioners. The elegant Fenwick department store can be found where the two streets meet, with its impressive range of clothes, home accessories and cosmetics.

The Belgrave Road shopping experience attracts visitors from around the world who come to the area to visit the large array of colorful saree emporiums, expensive jewellery stores and spice stores selling herbs and spices from around the world.  Here is just a small selection of the range of shops you will find on the famous street:

·               Saree Mandir  -The first saree store to open in Leicester (1970s).  Now a huge emporium of colorful sarees, pashminis and silks

·               Daminis – Minimalist and cosmopolitan, Daminis offers a wide range of up market sarees and traditional Indian clothing, silks and jewellery 

·               G Narin – Stockists of 22ct and 24ct gold and also 18ct white gold jewellery.  Wide range of traditional Indian wedding jewellery sets as well as designer bangles and watches.