The city of Leicester, with Leicester South Constituency represented in parliament by Sir Peter Soulsby MP

CITY OF LEICESTER

With a population of 285,100 (2004 est.), Leicester is the largest city in the East Midlands and the tenth largest in the country. Leicester is also one of the oldest cities in England.

Its importance was recognised by the Romans and later by the Danes, who used it as a strategic stronghold to control the Midlands. Since then it has developed into a major commercial and manufacturing centre, known better for the diversity of its trade than for its dependence on a single industry.

Pensioners in receipt of the annual Winter Fuel Payment will get an extra one-off boost towards their energy bills this coming winter. More...

More on Leicester’s History	- even more on Leicester’s History
It is the traditional county town of Leicestershire, and since 1997 has been a self-governing unitary authority. It lies on the River Soar and is close to the National Forest. Major industries in Leicester today include food processing, hosiery, footwear, knitwear, engineering, electronics, printing and plastics.
More on Business in Leicester	Employment statistics for Leicester
The city is home to two seats of Higher Education

Leicester University

and De Montfort University

The city centre is mainly Victorian with some later developments, which have usually been integrated in smoothly. The heart of the city centre is the Clock Tower, which is at the heart of the vibrant pedestrian shopping centre. Next to it are the historic markets and the very successful Shires Shopping centre, which is currently undergoing major extensions.

Leicester has a large multi-ethnic population, mainly from the Indian subcontinent. There are many Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras and Muslim mosques around the city.

The area around Belgrave Road is known as the Golden Mile, and contains many Indian restaurants, jewellery shops, and other shops that make it a major visitor attraction.

Photo shows Leicester city centre, looking towards the famous
clock tower - a favourite meeting place.

In 1990 Leicester was designated the UK's first Environment City, and won the European Sustainable City Award in 1996. At the United Nations Earth Summit held in Rio, in 1992, Leicester's Environment City initiative was praised as one of the world's top 12 local environmental initiatives.

Tune into BBC Radio Leicester for more information...

The people of Leicester
Leicester has many sporting links and the people in the city have much to choose from.

Leicester City Football Club (The Foxes) is one of the oldest in the country – it was formed in1884 and has a proven track record.

Then there is Rugby, with the Leicester Tigers, plus of course Leicestershire County Cricket Club, and many others.

The sporting achievements of the city are celebrated in this statue, photo above, of a footballer, rugby player and cricketer, in Gallowtree Gate in the city centre.

Leicester's cosmopolitan character means that there is something spectacular happening in the city at most times of the year.

From the old – an impressive collection of ancient artifacts in the Museum and Art Gallery on New Walk, to the new - the award winning National Space Centre. This is the UK's largest attraction dedicated to space. From the minute you catch sight of the Space Centre's futuristic Rocket Tower, you'll be treated to hours of breathtaking discovery and interactive fun.

Some material used under GNU Free Documentation License from Wikipedia