Highcross Leicester contains over 100 shops, with a range of both large and smaller units, including branches of the department stores John Lewis & Partners.

The Showcase Cinema de Lux and John Lewis parts of the centre mark the UK début of architecture firm Foreign Office Architects.

The cinema is covered in a slightly buckled, stainless steel cladding, while the department store features two layers of glass, each with a swirling fabric design from John Lewis's archives, allowing light in and a view out, but obscuring the interior from the outside.

[5] On 19 July 2007, the principal owners of the development, Hammerson, announced that they had decided to change the new name for the centre to Highcross Leicester.

Hammerson refused to comment on the dispute, and claimed that the name change was to "give it a stronger identity for customers and raise the profile not only of the development but also the city."

[9] The Daily Telegraph reported on 25 July 2007 that the Highcross Leicester developers had their offer to buy the domain names rejected.