Leicestershire is a gorgeous county, with exciting and unique Leicester City at its centre. It is a stunning city which contains plenty of shops, restaurants and attractions, not to mention some cool architecture and a truly vibrant multi cultural scene. The economy of the county is thriving, with various industries growing at pace. The location of the county is also fantastic for those travelling to and from London, which can be reached in less than two hours, in fact some routes take little over an hour. With so much going for it, there’s a lot to be gained from moving to Leicestershire.
Where Leicestershire Sits On The Map
Leicestershire sits in the middle of England, making it ideally located to reach all major parts of the country. Getting to Birmingham or London can take little over an hour on some routes, which is a major advantage when you need to travel around for business. Another key advantage is the easy distance to London, East Midlands and Birmingham airports. Even Manchester Airport is less than two hours away when the traffic is good. This provides easy international travel for business, and pleasure if you’re lucky enough! All extremes of the country in Wales, Cornwall and Scotland are all less than a day’s drive away. There is also a ton of scenery to be found both locally, and in local Warwick and Derbyshire.
Some Of The Best Shopping In The Country
Everybody likes to shop, and if you move to Leicestershire you will have some of the UK’s best shopping at your fingertips.
At the very top of the shopping hitlist should be the Highcross Centre which cost over £350 million pounds to build. You can find all the top high street shops in there, including John Lewis, Debenhams and more. For a well earned rest in between all the buying, there are plenty of coffee shops, cafes and bars for you to get refreshments. Walking around Leicester itself you can enjoy plenty of more unique shops and boutiques, as well as shopping walk through areas and market stalls.
Leicester also has the oldest produce market in all of Europe which is hundreds of years old. There are also lots of authentic Indian shops, the most you will ever find in one area outside of India itself! Leicester certainly does have it all for shopping and it is definitely worth spending an afternoon strolling around seeing what you find, because there’s so much to enjoy.
A Vibrant Arts Scene
Leicester is a diverse city and forms part of a diverse county. With that diversity comes a lot of celebration, and exciting events. Including the opportunity to enjoy lots of different cultural celebrations. Diwali is absolutely breathtaking in Leicester with all of the colourful lights, music and fireworks. There are thousands of people there every single year, and it is a lovely event for the whole family to attend. If you’re more into food, the Caribbean Carnival is a great occasion to enjoy with the family, as although the electric atmosphere and beautiful decorations and dancing are phenomenal, the authentic and delicious food on offer really does take centre stage. There’s also various theatres in Leicester, smaller festivals and events to look forward throughout the year and on a weekly and monthly basis.
Leicester Has A Passion For Sport
Whether you love or loathe sport, there’s no getting away from it in Leicester. The football club Leicester City and rugby club Leicester Tigers take centre stage and hold many loyal fans. You can expect to see the city alive when matches take place, and even if you’re not that interested in either sport, going to a match is a great idea just to show support and perhaps even, gain a new interest! Horse racing, basketball and cricket are also major sports in Leicester.
A Bustling And Growing Economy
If you’re moving to an area, you want to know that the economy is strong and growing. The economy you live in impacts everything from schools, to jobs and house prices, so it is very important to have a grasp on the state of the economy you are moving into. Luckily if you are moving to Leicestershire you have made a great choice as the economy is well and truly booming.
Engineering is huge in Leicester and has been for a long time. Bell Founding is more of a historical profession which originates from the area, and the country’s most famous bell, Great Paul from St Paul’s Cathedral in London was made in Leicester. There are also various other historical industries still going in Leicester, including those making stained glass. Nowadays Leicester’s engineering is most well known because of motor engineering companies like Triumph which is based in Hinckley.
As well as engineering, Leicester’s economy also boasts the head offices of many trade associations in the city, whereas towards the greener areas of Leicester you can find industries like farming thriving. Leicestershire has long been a strong farming county, and there are several rare-breed farms to be found in the area. For that reason, Leicester County Show is one of the biggest of its kind in the country, and has all kinds of delicious local meats and cheeses on offer for visitors to try.
Leicester also has lots of local food and drink specialities that are well known and loved throughout the UK. Stilton, pork pies and Red Leicester are all Leicestershire delicacies. Belvoir Fruit Farms who make cordials are based in Leicestershire, and there are also vineyards and breweries in Leicestershire. There are also lots of Indian food producers based in Leicestershire.
Clothing is another strong industry related to Leicestershire, with shoes, knitwear and hosiery all being made for generations in the area. Some of the companies supplying these items within the UK supply to huge chain stores. You can also find major healthcare, biomedical industries, freight and distribution companies in Leicestershire.
Getting Around In Leicestershire
Getting around in Leicestershire is extremely easy. As the area is so central you can easily get around the county and around the country however you want to. East Midlands Airport is a major connection for business travelers and you can easily get to the M1, M6 and A14. The train connections from Leicestershire are fantastic, enabling you to get to London and further afield quickly and easily. Leicester also has a great bus system and train system enabling you to get to local towns and in and out of the city centre easily.
Landscape
One thing that is so great about Leicestershire is the fact that you can so easily enjoy both city life and the great outdoors when you live here. Beacon Hill, Swithland Woods, various forests and the stunning Bradgate Park are all within easy reach. Rutland Water even has its own little lake beaches for you to enjoy on a sunny day. So if you enjoy cycling, walking, running or just being outside in general, you will love that side of Leicestershire.
Education
There are lots of great schools in Leicestershire and plenty of them to choose from, most with well rated LEA performances. Further education offers a great selection of colleges including some highly esteemed private colleges like Loughborough High School. Young adults going to university have three local universities to choose from; The University Of Leicester, Loughborough University and De Montfort University. The central location of Leicestershire also means various key universities in neighbouring counties and further are all within commutable distance.
Things To Do In Leicestershire
There are plenty of things to enjoy doing in Leicestershire, no matter what your age, ability or taste is. If you’re moving to the area, you have a lot to look forward to!
Food
Leicestershire is famous for its livestock and animal agriculture, so you’ll want to sample local cheeses and meats when you first move to the area, as you’ll never get them any fresher! Once you’ve had a picnic or two with a crusty baguette, and some deli treats, it is time to get yourself down to the Golden Mile in Leicester for a curry. You just can’t live in this county without trying at least one authentic indian curry from the many talented chefs in the area.
Days Out
There are plenty of fun days out to be had in and around Leicestershire. London is less than two hour away so you could easily have yourself a day out shopping if you wanted to. Alternatively you could get yourself to Birmingham and enjoy the famous Bull Ring, along with the Sealife Centre. In Leicestershire itself, on a hot day there are plenty of spots to go and set up a picnic in Bradgate Park, which has a real family atmosphere to it. If you fancy more of an indoor activity, The National Space Centre is a really fun day out with lots of interesting exhibitions and interactive displays. Twin Lakes is a great option for kids who like more action packed fun, and Twycross Zoo is a must for animal lovers.
Nights Out
There are lots of great places to enjoy a night out in Leicestershire. Lots of clubs and pubs keep the towns and city lively if you’re looking for a bit of atmosphere and music. If you want more of a wining and dining type evening, Grey Lady and Chutney Ivy offer wonderful fine dining experiences. Alternatively if you want to attend a gig or event of some sort, check out local Leicester events as you’re sure to find something to take your fancy, there’s always something going on.
Tips For Moving To Leicestershire
Now you have many reasons more to move to Leicestershire, you need to think about the moving house part, which is the hardest bit. There is no getting around the fact it will be stressful, but with these helpful tips, it will be as easy as it can be:
Be Organised
Be organised within an inch of your life. Have all of the lists and don’t be afraid to get everything in order constantly: it will only benefit you further down the line.
Be Early
Get everything booked in early, including moving vans, cheap self storage and even friends helping. The earlier you let everybody know you need them and you get yourself booked in, the better. The best businesses can get really busy so if you want the best you need to get in early.
Budget
Moving house costs money, more money than you might think. Set a budget for cleaning supplies, temporary pet accommodation, child care, snacks and drinks, moving van and moving help, packing supplies and anything else you think you might need. It is better to budget more than you need than less and be caught short.
Be Kind To Yourself
Try and remember to be kind to yourself this entire process. You are not the only person to get stressed at moving house, you won’t be the first and you definitely will not be the last. It is so stressful and you have to remember to be kind to yourself for that very reason. If you acknowledge that there will be stressful times, you might gain new wrinkles and you will definitely cry at least once, then you’re already a step ahead because you know the score, you accept it and you’re tackling it head on to get to the other side, which is going to be amazing.
Hopefully you’re feeling really excited about your move to Leicestershire, which with a little patience, organisation and effort, is going to run smoothly. Happy moving!
