Leicester Love

As someone who has lived in Leicester their whole life, there are things which bug me but more importantly there are many more things that I love about Leicester!

1. Multiculturalism – Leicester is a very very diverse place. We are not short of many places of worship (mosques, churches, temples…). Plus we have the biggest Diwali celebrations outside of India!
2. Tolerance – In light of the recent rise in certain groups of people being the victims of horrible attacks, I can say that Leicester is a very tolerant and diverse place. We live in harmony and peace. We respect other people’s race, religion and beliefs and make an effort to learn more about what people believe in.
3. Town – The good ol’ city centre. Agreed, we could have many more shops but we are not short of places to shop. From Primark, New Look, H&M to Zara, Apple and Next. Plus, Highcross (our main shopping centre) will be undergoing changes soon which will see our Zara store becoming a flagship store, JD expanding and the introduction of a crazy mini golf course!
4. Food – Oh boy, we are not short of food choices in Leicester! From great curry places, to amazing Turkish restaurants, to being able to have a cheeky Nando’s! Leicester is also home to cute, independent cafes such as Brü in town and The Northern Cobbler on Queens Road (both within walking distance from uni)
5. Universities – Leicester is home to two universities, University of Leicester an DMU (both not too far from each other and very close to the city centre). Being a city which has a very big student population, many shops and restaurants have student offers running from to time. In general, Leicester is a pretty cheap city to live which is a bonus. But having two universities also means competition and a running rivalry, which definitely comes up during varsity! (GO TEAM LEICESTER! Who are reigning champions)
6. Football/Sports – Everyone loves a good underdog story and Leicester’s Premier League win in 2016 (seems a lifetime ago now) is a story that will be told for decades to come. I don’t think anyone would have predicted that a team that just about survived relegation the season before would clinch the title the following season in such style! The victory parade was a day to remember and good party (please Leicester football time, give us the chance to party like that again). In addition to that we have successful rugby team and a relatively successful cricket team. Plus our basketball team are rising through the ranks in the world of basketball.
7. History – Leicester has a lot of history attached to it. From being the city that discovered DNA fingerprinting (at UoL specifically) to finding Richard III buried in a car park
8. Culture – There are many sights in Leicester in terms of museums, the National Space Centre to the Golden Mile where you can enjoy authentic Indian food.
9. Parks – Our parks are great. Victoria Park is practically on campus and where the infamous victory parade was held. Abbey Park has a lovely pond filled loads of ducks and this is where usually a fun fair is held every school holiday. Bradgate Park is slightly further out but is home to the Old John ruin and is also home to many deers!
10. People – Leicester is home to nearly 400,000 people and most of the residents you come across are lovely people. Be that the person who serves you at Primark to the bus driver to drops you off to the uni bus stop.