Leicester is at a turning point. With the likely removal of the elected City Mayor role ahead of the 2027 local elections, and local government reorganisation on the horizon, the city’s future is up for grabs. The boundaries of Leicester may soon expand, but so too can its ambitions.
The launch of the Leicester Growth Engine Interim Policy Paper is a bold step forward. This business-led initiative sets out practical, creative proposals to revitalise Leicester’s economy, strengthen its city centre, and unlock new opportunities for residents and businesses. Cavendish is proud to have played an active role on the committee supporting the Growth Engine, helping to shape a vision that’s both ambitious and achievable.
Leicester faces real challenges. Employment rates are below the regional average. City centre retail is under pressure from online shopping and out-of-town destinations. Tourism isn’t living up to its potential, despite a wealth of cultural assets. At the same time, the city’s governance is changing. This is a moment of uncertainty for the city, but also of possibility. The Growth Engine ensures business voices are at the heart of Leicester’s next chapter.
The Growth Engine has steered discussions on how to reconnect communities with the city centre, championing ideas like adaptive reuse of empty retail units and mixed-use developments. It’s supported strategies to turn Leicester into a multi-day destination and put forward proposals to relaunch youth enterprise initiatives and strengthen links between education providers and local businesses. The ideas on transformative projects, like the Haymarket Centre renewal and a Digital Innovation Centre, reflect the business community’s commitment to practical, high-impact change.
This interim paper is just the beginning. Over the coming months, the Growth Engine will refine these ideas into a deliverable manifesto, engage with political stakeholders, and prepare for the changes ahead. For businesses and communities, now is the time to get involved. The choices made today, at this moment of change, will shape Leicester’s identity as a competitive, connected city for years to come.
At Cavendish, we know that meaningful, proactive engagement with communities and stakeholders is essential to shaping successful places, especially at times of uncertainty. By building trust and opening new channels for dialogue, we help create the conditions for positive, lasting change.
by Rhys Brown. If you’d like to find out how Cavendish can support you to engage with communities and stakeholders in Leicester and beyond, get in touch with our team here.