Leicester

Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands, centred on the River Soar and occupying a central position within Leicestershire. The city grew around textile and footwear manufacturing and retains pockets of light industry alongside retail and service sectors. Two universities, the University of Leicester and De Montfort University, bring research, teaching and student housing into the cityscape. The city centre contains Leicester Market, a long-standing covered market, and the 19th-century railway station that links local and regional rail services.

Leicester has a recent archaeological profile after the 2012 recovery of the remains of King Richard III from a burial site under a council car park at Greyfriars; the skeleton was later reinterred at Leicester Cathedral. Sporting venues include the King Power Stadium and Welford Road for rugby union. The National Space Centre sits to the north of the city centre with galleries and its rocket tower. Green corridors follow the River Soar and the basin area around the Grand Union Canal, and neighbourhoods range from inner-city terraces to suburban districts.