Ever since the discovery of the remains of King Richard III in a Leicester car park, the city has been gearing up to give England’s last plantagenet, a send off worthy of royalty. This Sunday, the 23rd of March, will see a parade through the county, including a stopover at Bosworth, where the King met his death. Thousands of people are expected to attend a week of events, which will put Leicester firmly on the world map.
The city has been well and truly gripped by King Richard III fever, with schools taking the lead and teaching their pupils about the King, through not just lessons but also drama. Hotels are reporting brisk business with people from all over the globe, not to mention the world’s media, descending on the city. Of course with thousands of new visitors expected, the council has been busy sprucing up the city centre, applying a fresh coat of paint here and there and polishing up the fixtures and fittings.
Even an ice cream parlour, close to the Richard III visitor’s centre, is not missing out. It’s invented a special flavour to celebrate the King and his reinternment. Being a multi cultural city, Leicester’s other communities are also doing their bit to be part of the celebrations. Leicestershire’s Sikh Alliance is holding a special evening to mark the reinterment.
The City’s mayor Sir Peter Soulsby is hoping that one of the legacies of King Richard’s reinternment in Leicester, will be to boost tourism to the region, not just now but also in the future.
