Editing Leicester (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Highcross Leicester.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Highcross Leicester]] shopping centre]]
Leicester has the second largest economy in the East Midlands, after [[Nottingham]].<ref>{{cite web |title=European Data Tool |url=https://www.centreforcities.org/data-tool/dataset/european-cities#graph=bar&city=leicester&city=nottingham&sortOrder=high&indicator=gva\\single\\2011 |website=Centre for Cities |access-date=14 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215050402/https://www.centreforcities.org/data-tool/dataset/european-cities#graph=bar&city=leicester&city=nottingham&sortOrder=high&indicator=gva\\single\\2011 |archive-date=15 February 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Companies that have their principal offices or significant sites in Leicester and the surrounding area include; [[Brantano Footwear]], [[Dunelm Mill]], [[Next (clothing)|Next]], [[Shoe Zone]], [[Everards]] brewing and associated businesses, [[KPMG]], [[Mazars]], [[Cambridge & Counties Bank]], [[HSBC]] and [[Santander UK|Santander]] banking, [[Hastings Insurance]], [[British Gas]], [[British Telecom]], [[Caterpillar Inc.|Caterpillar]] (Inc.), [[Topps Tiles]] and [[DHL]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uk.cat.com/cda/layout?m=65333&x=7 |title=Cat – Products & Services – Europe – Caterpillar |access-date=30 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908010130/http://www.uk.cat.com/cda/layout?m=65333&x=7 |archive-date=8 September 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Textiles===
The city has historically had a strong association with the production of textiles, clothing and shoes. While important companies such as [[N. Corah & Sons|Corah]], [[Liberty Shoes (Leicester, England)|Liberty Shoes]] and Equity Shoes have closed, companies such as Next and [[Boden (clothing)|Boden]] are still active and [[ASOS (retailer)|ASOS]] and [[New Look (company)|New Look]] manufacture in the city. Moreover, in recent years the higher transport prices and longer lead-times associated with [[Globalization|globalised]] production in Asia mean some textile manufacturers are locating to the city.<ref>{{cite news |title=Leicester in spotlight for textiles boost |date=11 January 2011 |url=http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/City-spotlight-textile-boost/story-12041696-detail/story.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505125301/http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/City-spotlight-textile-boost/story-12041696-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |work=Leicester Mercury |access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Far Eastern costs boost textile firm |date=15 September 2010 |url=http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Far-Eastern-costs-boost-textile-firm/story-12038789-detail/story.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505100106/http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Far-Eastern-costs-boost-textile-firm/story-12038789-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |work=Leicester Mercury |access-date=14 January 2013}}</ref>

{{anchor|Leicester's garment district}}
There have long been concerns about the working conditions in this sector. Leicester's garment district is home to more than 1,000 factories employing as many as 10,000 workers. It has received fewer than 60 [[Health and safety regulations in the United Kingdom|health and safety inspections]] and only 28 [[Building regulations in the United Kingdom|fire inspections]] since October 2017. [[HMRC]] has made just 36 visits checking on compliance with [[National Minimum Wage Act 1998|minimum wage legislation]]; it has issued penalties to fewer than 10 textile firms and claimed just over £100,000 in arrears relating to 143 workers.<ref name="butler">{{cite news |last1=Butler |first1=Sarah |title=Revealed: 'shocking' lack of regulation at Leicester garment factories |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/aug/30/revealed-shocking-lack-of-regulation-at-leicester-garment-factories |access-date=30 August 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=30 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Research at the University of Leicester in 2010 and published in 2015 found there were 11,700 employees in the East Midlands garment industry. 75-90%  of them were being paid £3 per hour, which was less than half of the then legal minimum wage.<ref name="3 pounds">{{cite news |last1=Hoskins |first1=Tansy |title=Made in Britain: UK textile workers earning £3 per hour |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/sustainable-fashion-blog/2015/feb/27/made-in-britain-uk-textile-workers-earning-3-per-hour |access-date=30 August 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=27 February 2015}}</ref> In 2017 [[Peter Soulsby]], Mayor of Leicester called together 40 regulatory organisations to coordinate a response. He aimed to make sure that Leicester had the highest standards of employment; that workers are properly paid, well trained and work in safe environments,<ref name="Asos">{{cite news |last1=Butler |first1=Sarah |title=Asos and New Look to join anti-slavery event in Leicester |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/oct/05/asos-and-new-look-to-join-anti-slavery-event-in-leicester |access-date=30 August 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=6 October 2017}}</ref> In 2020 the HSE was alerted to [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19]] non-compliance, made inspections and gave advice.<ref name="covid-19">{{cite news |last1=Bland |first1=Archie |title=Police and health officials visit garment factories in Leicester |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/03/police-and-health-officials-visit-garment-factories-in-leicester |access-date=30 August 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=3 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

===Engineering===
{{Unreferenced section|date=December 2024}}
Engineering companies include Jones & Shipman (machine tools and control systems), Richards Engineering (foundry equipment), Transmon Engineering (materials handling equipment) and [[Trelleborg AB|Trelleborg]] (suspension components for rail, marine, and industrial applications). Local commitment to nurturing British engineers includes apprenticeship schemes with local companies, and academic-industrial connections with the engineering departments at [[Leicester University]], [[De Montfort University]], and nearby [[Loughborough University]]. Leicester was also home to the famous [[Gents' of Leicester]] clock manufacturers.

===Shopping===
[[File:Leicester City Centre.jpg|thumb|Main city centre shopping area]]
The city centre has two large shopping malls – [[Highcross Leicester]] and the [[Haymarket Shopping Centre]]. The Haymarket Shopping Centre opened in 1974 and has two levels of shopping, multi-storey parking for up to 500 cars, a bus station and is home to the [[Haymarket Theatre (Leicester)|Haymarket Theatre]]. Highcross Leicester opened in 2008 after work to redevelop "The Shires Centre" was completed at a cost of £350&nbsp;million (creating 120 stores, 15 restaurants, a cinema, 110,000&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup> of shopping space).

St Martin's Square and the Leicester Lanes area has numerous designer and specialist shops; several of the city's Victorian arcades are located in the same neighbourhood. [[Leicester Market]] is the largest outdoor covered market in Europe.<ref>William, David (2010) ''Life in the United Kingdom: The Land and the People'', New Africa Press, {{ISBN|978-9987160174}}, p. 230 [https://books.google.com/books?id=Rx3ATOg_MSoC&q=leicester%20market] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002181929/https://books.google.com/books?id=Rx3ATOg_MSoC&q=leicester%20market|date=2 October 2023}}</ref> It central feature, the [[Leicester Corn Exchange]], has been converted into a public house.<ref>{{NHLE|desc= Corn Exchange|num=1361417|access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref>

Central Leicester is the location for several [[department store]]s including [[John Lewis Partnership|John Lewis]], [[Debenhams]].

The [[Golden Mile (Leicester)|Golden Mile]] is the name given to a stretch of Belgrave Road renowned for its authentic Indian restaurants, [[sari]] shops, and [[jeweller]]s; the [[Diwali]] celebrations in Leicester are focused on this area and are the largest outside the sub-continent.<ref>Panesar, Jeevan (13 October 2006); "[https://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/content/articles/2005/10/26/al_diwali_feature.shtml Diwali in Leicester] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016224550/http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/content/articles/2005/10/26/al_diwali_feature.shtml |date=16 October 2011 }}, BBC, Accessed 25 January 2011.</ref>

===Food and drink===
[[File:Leicester Market 2009.jpg|thumb|[[Leicester Market]]]]
Henry Walker was a successful pork butcher who moved from [[Mansfield]] to Leicester in the 1880s to take over an established business in High Street. The first Walker's crisp production line was in the empty upper storey of Walker's Oxford Street factory in Leicester. In the early days the potatoes were sliced by hand and cooked in an ordinary [[deep fryer]]. In 1971 the [[Walkers (snack foods)|Walker's]] crisps business was sold to [[Standard Brands]], an American firm, who sold on the company to [[Frito-Lay]]. [[Walkers (snack foods)|Walker's]] crisps makes 10&nbsp;million bags of crisps per day at two factories in Beaumont Leys, and is the UK's largest grocery brand.<ref>''[http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/detail.html?contents_id=7024 Walkers Crisps, Coming to the crunch] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012063802/http://www.themanufacturer.com/uk/detail.html?contents_id=7024 |date=12 October 2008 }}'' – ''The Manufacturer'', October 2006</ref> The Beaumont Leys manufacturing plant is world's largest crisp factory.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pepsico.co.uk/our-company/contact-us/our-offices-factories-and-sites |title=Our offices, factories and sites &#124; PepsiCo |date=22 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722191657/http://www.pepsico.co.uk/our-company/contact-us/our-offices-factories-and-sites |access-date=27 June 2022 |archive-date=22 July 2011}}</ref>

Meanwhile, the sausage and pie business was bought out by [[Samworth Brothers]] in 1986. Production outgrew the Cobden Street site and pork pies are now manufactured at a meat processing factory and bakery in Beaumont Leys, coincidentally near to the separately owned crisp factories. Sold under the Walker's name and under UK retailers own brands such as [[Tesco]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.samworthbrothers.co.uk/Our-Businesses/Walker-Son |title=Walker & Son |website=Samworth Brothers |access-date=30 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331030931/http://www.samworthbrothers.co.uk/Our-Businesses/Walker-Son |archive-date=31 March 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> over three million hot and cold pies are made each week.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Traditional Foods, Territorial Boundaries and the TRIPS Agreement: The Case of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie |url=https://www.academia.edu/5932483 |journal=The Journal of World Intellectual Property |year=2013 |volume=16 |issue=5–6 |pages=262–301 |publisher=Academia |last1=Rippon |first1=Matthew J. |doi=10.1002/jwip.12016 |s2cid=153781899 |access-date=9 July 2021 |archive-date=2 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002182053/https://www.academia.edu/5932483 |url-status=live }}</ref> Henry Walker's butcher shop at 4–6 Cheapside sold Walker's sausages and pork pies until March 2012 when owner Scottish Fife Fine Foods ceased trading, although the shop was temporarily open and selling Walker's pies for the Christmas season of 2012.<ref>Mack, Tom (15 December 2012); "[http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Temporary-pop-Walkers-pork-pie-shop-open/story-17588041-detail/story.html Temporary pop-up Walkers pork pie shop to open in Cheapside, Leicester, for Christmas] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121217084602/http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Temporary-pop-Walkers-pork-pie-shop-open/story-17588041-detail/story.html |date=17 December 2012 }}, Leicester Mercury, Accessed 17 December 2012.</ref>