A city to enjoy

Leicester’s rich, historic past and vibrant multicultural present is something to acknowledge, celebrate and enjoy.

Long before we unearthed a dead King in a car park and our football club staged a miracle that brought Leicester an unexpected and unprecedented level of global affection and recognition, the council was – and still is – working hard to make the city a better place to live, enjoy and visit.

We have a comprehensive programme of festivals and activities, including everything from Christmas, Diwali, the Comedy Festival and the Caribbean Carnival to Eid and the Riverside Festival, attracting visitors all year around. Our new heritage panels now better tell the story of Leicester to anyone visiting.

Our entertainment and food & drink facilities continue to provide a rich and attractive offering. Leicester’s cinemas, music venues, cafes, bars and restaurants have given the city a more diverse offer than ever before. Similarly, our parks provide spaces and opportunities for enjoyment and physical activity, with millions of visits every year.

The council continues to play a very large role in making this offer happen – Curve, the Phoenix, the LCB Depot, Makers Yard, the Haymarket and De Montfort Hall, are all facilities directly supported by the council. New Walk Museum has been revamped and attracted a huge uptake in visitor numbers, and Abbey Pumping Station and the Jewry Wall Museum are about to be similarly refreshed and redeveloped.

My priorities include:

To continue to provide Leicester with a comprehensive programme of Christmas celebrations, including the Jubilee Square ice rink
To refurbish our museums
To build a new museum at Jewry Wall
To protect and keep our parks in public ownership
To provide capital investment for venues, new workspace and business support for creative businesses and organisations
To enhance our events programme as well as supporting more neighbourhood-based celebrations.