Highcross Leicester, Leicester

Highcross Leicester is a major shopping center in Leicester, offering a blend of retail, dining, and entertainment in the heart of the city. Originally opened in 1991 as The Shires, the center was built to complement the Haymarket Shopping Centre. Over the years, it has undergone significant expansions, solidifying its status as the largest shopping complex in the East Midlands.

The center’s first major extension in 1994 brought a new Church Gate frontage, but it was the 2008 expansion and rebranding to Highcross Leicester that transformed it into a modern retail hub. This development doubled its retail space and introduced a John Lewis & Partners department store, a Showcase Cinema de Lux, and a variety of high-end and high-street fashion brands, including Hugo Boss, Zara, Lacoste, and an Apple Store. The extension also added two public squares, a bus interchange, residential apartments, and a 2,000-space car park linked by a glass footbridge.

One of the center’s architectural highlights is its Showcase Cinema de Lux, a multiplex with a striking stainless-steel-clad façade, marking the UK debut of Foreign Office Architects. Similarly, John Lewis’s exterior design pays tribute to Leicester’s textile heritage, featuring glass panels imprinted with swirling fabric patterns from the store’s archives.

Highcross Leicester is more than just a shopping center-it’s a leisure destination, boasting over 100 stores, 40 restaurants, and cafés, and ample parking. When the extended center opened in September 2008, it welcomed over 125,000 visitors on the first day and over a million in its first two weeks. It remains a key part of Leicester’s urban regeneration, offering a vibrant mix of retail, lifestyle, and cultural experiences.