莱斯特除了市中心，Highcross, St Martin's Square ,Beaumont Shopping Centre, Fosse Park几大购物中心外，还有几条特色的购物小街，Francis Street就是这样的一条鲜为人知的小街。Francis Street位于莱斯特的Stoneygate，距离Victoria Park东北角大约10分钟，这条名不见经传的短短的L形小街，竟然获得了Google 2011 Street View Awards.的提名。
Francis Street有许多的非连锁的精品小店，还有本地的特色食品，有兴趣的同学可以去走走。
位置:
Just a mile south of Leicester city centre lies the area of Stoneygate. This cluster of small shops and galleries can be found along Allandale Road and Francis Street, just off London Road
A trendy city street has been named as one of the best places in the country to go shopping.
Francis Street, in Stoneygate, is one of 20 locations to make it onto the shortlist of the "best shopping street" category in Google's 2011 Street View Awards.
The shortlist was put together by a panel of judges including editors from The Sun, Vogue and Lonely Planet, and it is now up to the public to choose a winner.
Francis Street has several independent shops and galleries selling products from food to handbags.
Ricky Gibbs, co-owner of boutique gift shop Nest which has been in Francis Street for about nine years, said: "I'll bet we've been nominated because we're all independent shops, and most traders here source their products from small makers and graduates rather than sell mass-produced stuff.
"We've had a high turnover of shops over the years, but the essence of independence always remains the same."
Lizzie Bates works at Linden Aromatics, which specialises in exclusive brands of aromatherapy and skin care products.
She said: "It's such a friendly place with lovely shops, and that's why people keep coming back."
Powder Blue sells a variety of items including perfume, furniture, jewellery and gifts.
Sarah Anderson, who has worked at the shop for about a year, said: "This area has got everything – cafes, quaint shops, garden shops, hairdressers and some lovely clothes shops.
"We've also got free parking and we're friendly and unhurried – not like the hustle and bustle of the city centre."
The only other East Midlands street on the shortlist is Low Pavement, in Nottingham.
People are being urged to go online from today and vote for the street they think should take the crown.
Pushti Rajput, 37, from Oadby, is a regular Francis Street shopper.
She said: "It's a nice place, and it's free to park and located conveniently. I love here – it's all little unique boutiques.
"I regularly come for a potter around."
Another shopper, Bindu Patel, 37, from Thurmaston, said: "I'm here for lunch, but I can't leave without having a look around the shops.
"They're all very trendy and there is a uniqueness to them."
Jane Hamilton, consumer editor of The Sun, is one of the judges on the panel which put the shortlist together.
She said that despite the downturn in the economy, shopping was still Britain's national past time.
She said: "The sheer range and variety of shops on show on the shortlist prove we're not just a nation of shopkeepers – but a nation of serious shoppers too."
This is the second year that the Google Street View awards have been held.
Google Street View is an online map which allows internet users to get a 360 degree, street-level look at roads.
There are three award categories: Britain's best shopping street; Britain's hippest street; and Britain's most romantic street.
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