Skip to content

SHOPPING

Christmas in Leicester is a chance to enjoy festive fun once again with family, friends and colleagues and experience the joy of the festive season. Shopping locally will help all our businesses and keep choice and diversity on Leicester’s high street.

The shops will be brimming with Christmas gifts and the many restaurants, cafés and bars provide a welcome break from all that hectic retail therapy. Look out for all the new names that have opened in the city centre since this time last year.

NEW FOR 2024 Christmas Market

14 November to 29 December on Gallowtree Gate from 10am till 7pm

The perfect place for treats, gifts and warming festive food

Find out more on our Leicester Christmas Market review page

Make a date with Leicester

Looking for somewhere new, inspiring ideas or an old favourite, then check out our family of eight guides brimming with information on where to visit. Online guides can be found here Make a Date with Leicester – Visit Leicester

Independent and high street stores

Christmas shopping made simple. Leicester has a great choice of favourite high street brands and quirky independents. Highcross offers an awe-inspiring mix of fashionable shops and restaurants. Haymarket Shopping Centre seamlessly blends a great mix of high street brands with independent shops. Discover the Old Town brimming with independents in The Lanes and St Martins. Head to the temporary Leicester Market in Green Dragon Square for an impressive choice of stalls.

Some stores are open for late night shopping until 8pm. Please check individual store times.

Download the LoyalFree App free to find special discounts in the city centre including exclusive discounts from independent businesses.

FREE PARKING – Park at Highcross every Wednesday in December after 5.00pm for free, to enjoy the late night shopping.

Visit Highcross
Visit Haymarket
Visit Leicester Market
Visit Independent Leicester
LoyalFree
Christmas Lights above Leicester high street leading to the clock tower Christmas market gormet grill Crowds of people walking under the christmas lights in Leicester City centre Cars driving past the John Lewis building in Leicester City Centre A crowd of people walk past the entrance to Highcross shopping centre in Leicester city centre
A woman behind a bar pouring a drink from a shaker into a cocktail glass A man behind a bar making a cocktail in a decorative glass with smoke pouring out

EATING AND DRINKING

Feast in style this Christmas with Leicester’s fantastic array of restaurants. Whether you have a taste for something traditional or want your palette to travel further afield, you can travel the world from your plate.

The Old Town is the perfect place to start your journey, with Argentinian fare and Feliz Navidad on offer at Sonrisa, incredible steaks at Middletons, and everything from Indian Street Food and Thai to Mediterranean dishes in St Martin’s Square.

Take a break from shopping and refuel with coffee and cake at one of the fantastic cafes and delis and as the day turns into night, then pop into one of the city’s many bars, cocktail lounges or pubs for a big of Christmas cheer. Treat yourself, you deserve it!

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS & DECORATIONS

If you’re looking for a merry and bright Christmas then Leicester is the place.

There are 20 beautifully illuminated streets featuring 16,000 twinkling LED lights and a fantastic 15m real Christmas tree takes pride of place at the Clock Tower. Venture to Town Hall Square where you will find spectacular illuminations alongside the Nativity Scene.

A Christmas Greetings light up sign with christmas lights at Town Hall Square in Leicester A woman wearing a scarf laughing and enjoying a hot drink under the Wheel of Light at Jubilee Square in Leicester The clock tower in Leicester decorated for Christmas behind a Christmas tree covered in tinsel and baubles
The outside of Lane 7 in Leicester at night St Martins Square

New Places to Visit

Discover the new shops, cafes and restaurant offers this Christmas. The city centre is a hive of activity with new businesses, here are just a few.

Unico Italian restaurant on Humberstone Gate offers a variety of dishes everyone will enjoy in a relaxed and family-based atmosphere.

Desi Street Food, an Indian takeaway, has recently moved to bigger premises on Horsefair Street offering vegetarian street food from all over the sub-continent.

Welcome to all things country at Baton Rouge in the Cultural Quarter. Whether it’s a festive family gathering or just a celebration with friends, Baton Rouge offers a great atmosphere with country music and musicians.

Popular independent coffee shop Bread and Honey has recently expanded its space on King Street so even more people can soak up the atmosphere whilst enjoying home made soups, salads and sandwiches with great coffee.

5 Coats coffee shop and sandwich bar on High Street offers a range of sandwiches and drinks specialising in Ukrainian cakes.

Exciting new openings in Highcross include Castore, selling high quality sportswear, Sunglasses Hut with a great selection of designer sunglasses and the soon to open Butterwick Bakery will be offering sweet treats and occasion cakes.

Old Town is buzzing day and night with great new offers. At the Heritage Café on Carts Lane, you will find a menu that blends Goan and British favourites.

St Martins new pedestrianised area welcomed newcomer Patina, a clothing store offering premium mens clothing and footwear. St Martins Square is the new location for Currant Affairs, Leicester’s original independent vegan shop and takeaway with a great reputation, and new Japanese restaurant Yaki Machi will be joining this vibrant restaurant area.

Other great city activities

There’s plenty more to do in Leicester, whether you want to relax or try something a little more exciting. If it’s culture you’re after then our museums and galleries have some amazing shows, exhibitions and events.

If you’re looking to relax a little and put your skills to the test, then pop into East Street Lanes, Caddyshackers, Treetop Adventure Golf, Social Climbing or Lane 7 for some mini golf, bowling, VR Escape, axe throwing, pool or climbing.

Curl the night away at Roxy Ballroom on Humberstone Gate, take on a Spy Mission at Haymarket Shopping Centre and see if you can hit the target at Angle Axe Throwing on Cank Street.

Take in a Christmas blockbuster at Showcase Cinema de Lux or Phoenix independent art house cinema showing indie, family-friendly and retro films.

You will be spolt for choice when it comes to Christmas shows with our spectacular season of special productions at the Curve, De Montfort Hall, the Little Theatre and The Y. For more information visit It’s Showtime.

For a whole load more on events during December go to the Visit Leicester website What’s On pages.

Events Calendar
Groups of people sat at tables inside Lane 7 in Leicester A woman takes a shot in a game of mini golf at Lane 7 in Leicester A man rock climbing on a colourful climbing wall
A hand holding The Leicester Gift Card

The Leicester Gift Card

Discover the best of Leicester city centre with one handy gift card. Take the decision out of gifting and buy the Leicester gift card for a wide choice of spending across food, drink and leisure entertainment. Available as a gift card or e-card.

Find out more