Leicester is a city lies in the East Midlands area of England. It is the unitary authority area located on the Soar River with a population of around 329,839 according to 2011 census. It is the county town of Leicestershire and the most populous area of the East Midland region. It is located at the crossing of two major railway lines as well as the confluence of the trunk routes and the motorways. Leicester, one of the oldest cities in England located near the National Forest’s eastern end. In 1889, the town became a county borough but later on it was dissolved in 1974 under Local Government Act, and finally, the city got its unitary status in 1997. The city is controlled by the Labour Party which is divided into three Parliamentary constituencies.
History
The history of the oldest city dates back at least two millennia. The Roman settlement came into existence around AD 47. Lindum, Bridge on the Fosse Way and Roman road were built in the city by the Corieltauvian settlement. It remains a matter of contention whether development was fortified by Romans. Recently, evidence of Roman cemetery was discovered outside the old city walls depicts the artwork of 300 AD. Other remaining found include the Roman Leicester baths are preserved and displayed at the adjacent museum. After the abandonment of Roman Empire, the city was governed by the kingdom of Mercia. The city became one of the five burghs of the Danelaw for a short period during the rule of Danish Vikings.
In 1790, Grand Union Canal was built in the city connected Leicester to Birmingham and London. With the arrival of railways in 1832, nearby collieries supplied coal to the city. Large mills, workshops and factories started setting up particularly along the river and canal. This development promoted the process of industrialisation and population of the city grew rapidly from 68,100 to 211,600 between 1861 and 1901. Major industrial employers include textiles, clothing and shoes had opened their manufacturing premises in the city.
Education
The city has a number of independent and comprehensive schools including grammar schools and three sixth form colleges. The local education authority of the city was established in 1997, but it has faced an enormous trouble during the local government reorganisation. The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills conducted an enquiry and found few strengths and many weaknesses in the educational authority. Although there has been a considerable improvement in the education system and steps have been taken to improve since then included the opening of Samworth Enterprise Academy, planning a new Children and Young People’s Services department.
Economy
The city has the largest economy in the East Midlands and home to major employers such as Everard's brewing, Brantano Footwear, Cambridge and Counties Bank, Dunelm Mill, DHL, HSBC and Santander banking, British Gas, Topps Tiles, British Telecom and Caterpillar. The GVA of the city is estimated to be 15.3 billion pounds according to a recent study by Experian. Engineering sector played a significant role in the growth of the economy. The city houses engineering companies include Transmon Engineering, Jones and Shipman and Trelleborg. The two major shopping malls, Haymarket Shopping Centre and Highcross Leicester were built in the city.
Transportation
The city is served by East Midlands International Airport located 20 miles north-northwest of the city and Leicester railway station located towards the eastern end of the centre of the city. The airport also serves as an important national hub for mail and freight networks of the major distributors. There are two main bus stations in the city: Haymarket Bus Station and St Margaret’s Bus Station. The rail network faced rapid growth in the city with the arrival of Eurostar international services.
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