I've moved into a co working space in town. Been over a decade since I worked in town.
What a pleasant suprise. I've been as guilty as anyone in assuming Leicester was lost. I've made an effort these last three weeks since working there to walk round town at lunch. It's very surprising. there's a low key continental cafe society vibe with the outdoor seating.
There's more white people than I thought.. I mean,. I assumed it was down to say 5%. It's probs more like 2O% (which lets face it, is still very odd for a supposedly British city) .....it just needs a few more middle.class white people to come back. The city isn't lost to India and Somalia. Yet.
Pleasant surprises have been
*Volume of cool cafes - must be 20 really quite stylish places. With all the options, im.amazed anyone uses the hideous cafe Nero at Irish menswear
*The art workshops around phoenix,.old mercury offices and curve.
*The apartment blocks near curve.
*The king Street cafe / co working area (forgot it's name) and area bottom of new walk....the new walk little park sqaures
*Cathedral Square and the cobbled streets off shooting it
*Jubilee Square world cup screen and chairs
*Silver arcade & St Martins
*Just out of city but the apartments behind the old great central
And I mean this, although there are freaks about, I never, ever feel unsafe. Not once.