LEICESTER City’s promotion to the Premier League as Sky Bet Championship winners is to be celebrated with an open-top bus tour and a trophy lift in the city centre on Sunday (5 May).
The open-top buses carrying the players, their families, club officials and the all-important Sky Bet Championship trophy will enter the city centre via Northampton Street at around 12.15pm on Sunday.
The procession will then turn right onto Granby Street, before continuing onto Gallowtree Gate, the Clock Tower and Humberstone Gate West, with thousands of fans expected to line the route.
At around 1.15pm, club chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, manager Enzo Maresca and the Leicester players will join DJ MistaJam on the Haymarket balcony overlooking the Clock Tower, where they’ll celebrate their promotion success with a trophy lift with their fans.
The players will then head off for a well-earned break, with the event continuing until around 2.30pm.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “As a season ticket-holder and a huge fan of the Foxes, I’m delighted that Leicester City are returning to the Premier League after just one season in the Championship.
“To be promoted as champions is even more special, so I’d like to congratulate everyone associated with the club – the owners, the manager, the players and the staff – on this brilliant achievement which has made everyone in the city very proud indeed.”
Fans arriving early will be entertained by DJ MistaJam on the Haymarket balcony from 11.30am, while those unable to secure a vantage point at the Clock Tower will be able to follow the events via a big screen at the Primark end of Humberstone Gate West.
A second big screen showing live coverage from the balcony will be put up in Jubilee Square, which will host a quieter, family-friendly event that will also include some fairground rides for small children. A charge applies for fairground rides.
To allow the parade to pass safely, a number of parking restrictions and road closures will be in place in the city centre.
From 11am on Sunday 5 May, Northampton Street and Granby Street will be closed to all traffic, which means all side roads - and their car parks - will be closed too. Dover Street car park, however, will be open as normal.
Rutland Street, between Charles Street and Granby Street, will also be closed to all traffic, so outbound buses will divert via Charles Street, St George’s Way, Waterloo Way, Regent Road and Welford Road.
Horsefair Street, between Bowling Green Street and Halford Street, will be closed to all traffic too, with inbound buses entering via the Vaughan Way underpass and the ring road, terminating at their respective bus stations.
Once the parade has passed, roads will be reopened from 1pm, or as soon as it is safe to do so.
Parking restrictions will be in place too. Pay & Display on-street parking will be suspended from 6pm on Saturday 4 May at the following locations: Church Street; Northampton Street; Granby Street; Dover Street (20m in from Granby Street); York Street (20m in from Granby Street); Chatham Street (from Granby Street to Stamford Street); Rutland Street (Granby Street to Charles Street); Bishop Street (20m in from Granby Street); Halford Street (from Granby Street to Charles Street); St Nicholas Place; Highcross Street (from Vaughan Way to St Nicholas Place).
To ensure the safety and enjoyment of all those attending this family-friendly event, people are asked to refrain from bringing pyrotechnics, fireworks or flares to the event, which is being organised by the city council on behalf of Leicester City Football Club.
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Photo credit: Leicester City Football Club