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High Street Gloom as Leicester City Centre Welcomes New Openings



Leicester continues to buck the national narrative of high street closures as a new wave of restaurants, cafés, fashion stores and independent businesses open their doors across the city centre.


Vacancy rates have fallen from 18% in 2021 to 14% and are now holding steady, with the latest arrivals ranging from international fashion brand Hollister and menswear specialist Cavani to a growing crop of independent restaurants, coffee shops and food businesses, adding fresh reasons to shop, eat and spend time in the city.


Here are some of the exciting businesses who’ve chosen to open in Leicester:

Fashion retail

There’s a fantastic new store coming to Leicester’s High Street. Premium men’s suit specialists Cavani blend traditional English tailoring with Italian style and are opening in an 1,800 square feet unit on the Highcross side of the street.


Brand new inside the Highcross is Hollister who are bringing their ‘new format’ store; made up of a range of clothing, accessories and fragrances. Hollister have recently celebrated their 25th anniversary, with the Abercrombie & Fitch-owned retailer becoming a global staple for laid-back, Southern California-inspired style.


Over in the Haymarket C&S Collection is a great-value fashion store offering modest womenswear in a wide range of colours and styles. From lightweight everyday layers to longer dresses and outerwear, it specialises in comfortable, flattering pieces at affordable prices.


Restaurants

Now open on London Road is Golden Sands, a Goan and Portuguese influenced Indian restaurant with some fantastically delicious and unique dishes on offer. Mandi & Biryani House is open at the top of Granby Street doing exactly what it says on the tin, great rice based Indian flavours.


New on Cheapside is Ghara, a family-run spot expanding from their original site in London who have great Indian street food. Rounding out the curry quadruple is Bright Panipuri who have expanded from their super popular street food spot just off Melton Road. Just up the road from Grimsby Fisheries, this viral sensation offers all kinds of Pani Puri, Bhel Puri, Vada Pav and Indian snacks.


New at the Highcross on Shires Lane is Hasty Tasty Pizza serving pizza by the slice, hot baked pretzels and other street food. Flame & Ice have opened on Horsefair Street with Smash Burgers, Shakes and Desserts. There’s fresh grilled chicken from Cluck’d on Humberstone Gate. This is a healthier option than your usual fried chicken places. And finally Pizza Sofia have opened in the former Maurizio’s site on Belvoir Street with authentic Neapolitan pizza, £5 pizza wallets for lunch, pasta and Italian salads.


Cafés

Some great new cafes and dessert spots have come to Leicester recently. At the edge of St Martin’s Square on Silver Street, Paper Wings Café is the latest addition to Leicester’s enviable coffee scene. No frills, just great coffee.


Mowchi is a new addition to London Road, Mowchi, a popular franchise chain which is famous for its premium matcha, bubble tea and Asian-inspired fluffy bao buns and light bites. There’s more Matcha on King Street as Ma-Chaii has just opened with delicious deli sandwiches, matcha and lassis.


If you fancy something more refreshing then Mango Twist – Juice Bar brings South American flavours to Cank Street with smoothies, slushies and acai bowls. Frurt is Leicester’s first dedicated frozen yoghurt shop and you can find them near Leicester train station on London Road. And finally Waffle & Bagel is a great new café in St Martins Square with freshly made sweet treats and lunchtime snacks, plus great coffee and fresh juices plus loads of special events.


The best of the rest

Next to Cavani on High Street, eeMotion is a small family-run local business dedicated to E-Bike Retail with all the very best powered bikes, scooters and accessories and pioneering the future of urban mobility.


Blue Banana is one of the top piercing and alternative stores in the country and they’re opening a new unit in the Highcross! Spirit Crystal has been open in Highcross for a little while and they are a fantastic experience retail shop. Starting as a small online store, they have grown into a trusted destination for high-quality ethical crystals sourced from around the world. And last but not least, Tooth Club is a specialised Dental Clinic newly opened on Market Street offering cosmetic, general and restorative dentistry.


With new names continuing to arrive alongside Leicester’s established independent businesses, the latest openings are bringing fresh life to streets across the city centre and giving visitors even more reasons to come in and explore. From fashion and food to coffee, culture and experiences, Leicester’s high street continues to evolve, with plenty more still to come.



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The third annual Harrogate Concourse once again attracted huge crowds of car enthusiasts as almost 100 classic vehicles and high-powered sports cars rolled into the town centre.


In an incredible celebration of both history and high horsepower, The Yorkshire Veteran Car Run teamed up with Harrogate-based Apollo Capital to put on a stunning display of high-value vehicles – including an extremely rare £3 million Aston Martin Valkyrie.


One of the most advanced hypercars ever created, the F1-inspired machine produces over 1,100 horsepower from its hybrid powertrain and is capable of revving beyond 11,000rpm.


Only 150 road-going examples were ever built, and it certainly drew in the crowds from Harrogate’s petrolheads as it took its place alongside such cars as a Bugatti Veyron, a Ferrari SF90 XX, and a host of other rare and highly sought-after performance cars.


The veteran cars were organised by antique car enthusiasts, Daniel and Adam Ward, with both sets of vehicles on display to huge crowds throughout the morning before roaring off in what was a truly awesome Grand Depart in the middle of the afternoon.


Founded in 2020 by CEO Andy King and Managing Director David Moss, the Apollo Capital team are experts in luxury, supercar, hypercar and classic car finance. The business has a strong track record of delivering funding requirements ranging from £50,000 up to multi-million-pound cars, operating in a high-net-worth market of successful entrepreneurs and serial car collectors. It was recently named the UKs Best Specialist Car Finance Provider.


Their section of Saturday’s event was also held as a fundraiser for their charity partner, the Martin House Children’s Hospice, which had volunteers on hand throughout the day collecting funds.


Managing Director David Moss commented:

“The third annual Apollo Capital Harrogate Concours has exceeded all expectations. Seeing thousands of people lining the streets of Harrogate to enjoy such an extraordinary collection of vehicles was a fantastic sight and a testament to the growing reputation of the event."

“Events like this are only possible because of the incredible support we receive from our partners and sponsors. We are particularly grateful to our headline sponsor, Howden Insurance, alongside North Residential, Synergy Commercial Finance, BR Exclusive Car Care and Love Warranty, whose commitment has helped make this year's event our most successful yet."

“We’d also like to thank The Yorkshire Hotel for hosting us and, most importantly, everyone who attended and donated in support of Martin House Children’s Hospice. Together, we’ve created something very special for Harrogate while raising valuable awareness and funds for an exceptional cause.”

CEO Andy King commented: “

The calibre of vehicles on display this year was truly remarkable. Alongside more than 60 veteran and concours vehicles, Apollo Capital proudly presented over 30 exceptional cars, including the £3 million Aston Martin Valkyrie."

“What makes the event particularly rewarding is that these incredible machines help bring people together for a purpose far greater than the cars themselves.


Every year, the Harrogate Concours grows in scale and impact, and we are immensely proud that it continues to support the outstanding work carried out by Martin House Children's Hospice.


“The enthusiasm from visitors, owners, sponsors and volunteers demonstrates just how powerful community-led events can be when everyone comes together behind a great cause."


About Apollo Capital:

Apollo Capital is the UK’s award-winning finance broker, specialising in luxury, classic, hypercar, and supercar funding. Offering a VIP service with access to highly competitive rates and bespoke finance solutions, Apollo Capital can assist with vehicles sourced from UK dealers, private sales and specialist auctions.


For the latest finance rates and terms, please visit the Apollo Capital team here.


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