Loughborough might be best known as a university town and for its sporting heritage – it’s the home of several world-class sporting facilities – but the Midlands town is a bustling, lively hub with plenty of attractions. Leading the way is Queen’s Park in the centre of town, a leafy park home to the fascinating Charnwood Museum, a range of summer festivals, several playgrounds and an excellent cafe. Steam engine enthusiasts meanwhile will love the Great Central Railway, the only place in the world where you can see two steam engines pass each other on a double track. For art, culture, stand-up comedy and live music, look no further than Loughborough Town Centre – there are two cinema complexes in town, both just a short walk from our hotels in Loughborough. Factor in the town’s historic markets, its excellent travel connections (East Midlands Airport is less than 10 miles away) and a buzzing dining out scene spanning everything from hipster pizza joints to minimalist Chinese restaurants and you have one well-rounded destination with plenty to offer.
Things to do in Loughborough
Shopping
Held every Thursday and Saturday from 8am to 4pm at the Market Place near the town hall, Loughborough Market is the place to come for, well, everything. You’ll find stalls selling clothes, artisan goods, sweets, fashion, jewellery and household goods, while collectors will enjoy the Friday market dedicated to vintage goods and antiques.
There are two main shopping centres in Loughborough. The biggest is Carillion Court, which houses nearly 30 stores including Topshop, Boots and New Look as well as several cafes and restaurants. Alternatively, head over to The Rushes Shopping Centre where you’ll find Argos, Marks and Spencer, TK Maxx and other big-name stores. The two shopping centres are only several minutes’ walk apart and just a few hundred metres from our Loughborough hotel.
Getting Around
The closest international terminal to Loughborough is East Midlands Airport which is mainly serviced by low-cost domestic and European carriers including Jet2 and Ryanair. The airport is just 10 miles from Loughborough, with the journey taking around 15 minutes by car or 35 minutes via the Skylink bus service. Alternatively, make your travel arrangements even simpler by staying the night before your flight at one of our hotels near East Midlands Airport.
Loughborough Train Station is the main railway terminal in the region offering regular departures to London, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield. The three-platform station is located just north of the town centre and has nearly 300 bike and car park spaces, shops and toilets and a taxi rank outside the main entrance.
Shopping in Loughborough
