Moving to Leicester: discover the green city

Leicester, in the East Midlands, is a beautiful, leafy and multicultural UK city. Based in Leicestershire, Leicester sits on the River Soar, and is close to several of the other key cities in the Midlands. It’s also close to the eastern most point of the National Forest.

The city is renowned for its green space: having been named Britain’s first Environmental City and winning the title of European Sustainable City.

It’s a reasonably compact city, making is easy to navigate, and keeping all amenities in a compact space. But this does not mean it’s lacking; the city boasts a multicultural population of 330,000, great transport links, and excellent shopping and eating culture. The UK’s 10th biggest city is a great place to live!

 

A brief history of Leicester

Leicester has a rich and interesting history, having made great strides in the industrial revolution. Since industry waned, the city has rebranded itself, as a hub of diversity and creativity.

It is also famously home to the discovery site of the missing remains of King Richard III. His remains were never recovered after the infamous Battle of Bosworth, and he was discovered in 2012 on the site of a modern car park. His bones were exhumed, and he has now been laid to rest at Leicester Cathedral.

This legend is a real historical focal point of the city, with the resulting creation of the new £4 million visitors centre: The King Richard III: Death, Dynasty & Discovery. The high-tech centre takes visitors though the story of King Richard III’s life and death, with an in-depth and immersive look at medieval life, as well as the full story of how his body was discovered. And at Leicester castle, you can visit the medieval site from which the city has grown.

 

Leicester city highlights and culture

The city of champions: in 2016 the Leicester City FC football team beat the odds, rising from underdogs to the Premier League Champions for the first time in history. The pride in the football team here is palpable, and the win bought a wealth of new visitors and business to the city.

Leicester is also a hub for arts and culture, with local attractions such as The New Walk Museum & Art Gallery. This is a friendly city, with lots of great amenities and transport links to other major cities.

It’s also home to the biggest planetarium in the UK: The National Space Centre has 3D simulators, 6 interactive galleries, and a 42 metre Rocket tower.

If you’re unfamiliar with the area or would just like to get to know Leicester better before you consider a move, we’re here to help. With our Area Orientation Service, you benefit from a personalised tour. We show you residential areas that meet your needs as well as places of interest to you, we can even help find your new hairdressers or gym. It’s just another way we make moving home easy.

 

Things to do in Leicester

What is there to do in Leicester? Here’s our guide to the best things to try out in Leicester as a new mover to the area:
• Explore the parks – the city benefits from a large number of parks and green space. Try early morning strolls around Stoneygate and Clarendon Park.
• Grab a coffee – with a great coffee culture, what better way to get to know your new area then with a hot cup of coffee and a nice walk. Try the expanse of coffee shops along Queens Road.
• Go out for dinner – with so many restaurants and types of cuisine to choose from, the Cultural Quarter is our pick of areas to explore for a delicious dinner.
• Explore the Golden Mile – this infamous shopping destination is where you’ll discover the very best of Indian culture. Spend hours perusing the amazing spices, music, fabrics and jewellery. Don’t miss out on the food available here either.
• Watch a football match – you have to watch Leicester City FC play at home once, the King Power Stadium is a local treasure as much as the team!

 

Where to live in Leicester

Leicester has a great range and selection of property types, from large detached homes in the suburbs, town houses to city centre apartments.

The average detached house for sale in Leicester sells for around £330,000, which is very competitive compared to much of the south of England and the capital. A flat or apartment can be bought for around £140,000 (prices accurate as of April 2019). Rental property prices in Leicester are low compared to much of the UK, with a two-bed apartment in a central location available for around £750 per month.

Where are the best areas?

• The Cultural Quarter – recently renovated and very trendy. Packed with a wide range of bars, restaurants and theatres, its close proximity to the train station makes it great for commuters.
• Clarendon Park and Stoneygate – upmarket, central location with easy access to the parks. Very popular with young professionals and families.
• Oadby – if you’re looking for a family friendly suburb with great transport links into the city, look no further. It’s also home to Leicester Racecourse and the University Botanical Garden.

If you need help finding the perfect home for your move to Leicester, look no further. Santa Fe Relocation’s Home Finder Service matches you to a shortlist of perfectly matched properties. We take all the stress out of moving.

 

Leicester: family life and education

Leicester is a very popular destination for families. The city boasts loads of outdoor space, very competitive house prices, and over 100 schools. There are 70 primary schools to choose from and 30 secondary schools, with a great mix of state and independent. There is also highly regarded specialist sports school: Ellesmere College.

For those looking at higher education, the city is home to two universities with excellent reputations: De Montford University and University of Leicester.

If you would like help finding the best schools for your family’s needs, let us help. At Santa Fe Relocation we have the expertise to make every part of your move easy. Our School Search Service matches schools in your new area to your exact needs, and we help with the application process.

 

Leicester travel information

By road, there are great links to the north and south of England via the M1, which is easily reached from the city. There are also excellent road transport links to all the major cities in the midlands: the M42 takes you straight to Birmingham Airport.

The city has two major bus stations: St Margaret’s Bus Station and the Haymarket Bus Station. Bus services run all across the city and the surrounding areas, as well as inter city busses within the midlands.

For trains in and out of the city, there are regular services between London St. Pancras operated by East Midlands Trains, as well as a Cross Country Trains service between Birmingham New Street and Leicester on a daily basis.

Leicester city has a very good train station, serviced by East Midlands Trains. Trains to London St Pancras International take between an hour and 1 hour 25 minutes. You can reach Sheffield via train in around an hour, Birmingham in just 50 minutes and Leeds or York in two hours.

For international travel Leicester benefits from close proximity to both Birmingham Airport and East Midlands Airport. From both airports you can get domestic, as well as international flights. You can also reach Lille, Brussels and Paris via the Eurostar, by getting the train to London St Pancras and then Eurostar to Europe.

 

How can Santa Fe Relocation help with your move to Leicester?

We’ve provided and enabled exceptional moving journeys for over 120 years. Providing moving services of unrivalled quality is just one part of what we feel makes a successful move.

Perhaps you want to keep things in storage before you move to Leicester? Our secure storage facilities keep your belongings safe in our London warehouse, with 24/7 CCTV and professional on-duty staff at all times.When it comes to surveying your home before your move, we can provide a home video survey for your convenience. Our talented surveyors will ensure everything in your home is properly accounted for.

Whatever it is you need for an enjoyable and stress-free move to Leicester, our team of experts are here to create a bespoke solution for you.

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