Queensgate Peterborough facts for kids
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Queensgate viewed from the top of Peterborough Cathedral
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| Location | Peterborough, Cambs. PE1 1NT |
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| Coordinates | 52°34′26″N 0°14′38″W / 52.574°N 0.244°W |
| Developer | Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) |
| Management | Lend Lease |
| Owner | Invesco Real Estate |
| No. of stores and services | 102 |
| No. of anchor tenants | 2 |
| Total retail floor area | 804,000 square feet (74,700 m2) |
| No. of floors | 4 |
| Parking | 2,300 spaces |
| Public transit access | Queensgate bus station |
Queensgate is a big shopping centre in the middle of Peterborough, a city in Cambridgeshire, UK. It has more than 100 shops and places to eat. You can park your car in one of its four large car parks, which have space for 2,300 cars. There's also a bus station right inside Queensgate, and it's only a short walk from Peterborough railway station. If you need help getting around, Peterborough Shop Mobility offers wheelchairs and electric scooters. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands officially opened Queensgate on March 9, 1982.
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How Queensgate Started
Peterborough was chosen as a "new town" in 1967. This meant it would grow and get new buildings. The Peterborough Development Corporation decided to build a brand-new shopping centre. They got permission to build in 1976. In November of that year, John Lewis Partnership agreed to be the main, or "anchor," shop.
The John Lewis store opening was special. It marked their return to Peterborough after 25 years. Before 1956, John Lewis had a smaller store called Robert Sayle. It was destroyed by a fire.
Changes Over the Years
In April 2021, John Lewis announced they would close their store for good. This left Queensgate without its main anchor shop. However, other big stores like M&S and Boots (company) are still open. A new cinema, Empire Cinemas, was planned to open in late 2021. This was part of a £60 million expansion. The expansion also included a new food court and more shops.
In 2005, a company called Hammerson bought half of Queensgate. They planned a huge new area next to the centre. This project, called North Westgate, would have made Queensgate even bigger. But these plans were put on hold because of money problems in 2008.
In 2011, Queensgate got a £20 million makeover. The clothing store Primark moved into several units. The car park names were changed from local heroes to colours. But people liked the old names, so they were brought back along with the colours.
Paten Bridge connects Queensgate to the station area. This area got a new Waitrose supermarket in 2014. In 2018, some parts of Queensgate were repaved, and shops updated their fronts. There's been talk of adding a glass roof over the street, but it's not decided yet.
In 2015, new owners Invesco and managers Lendlease planned a £30 million upgrade. This plan included a 77,000 square foot extension. It was meant to work with John Lewis, but that store later closed. The plan also included a restaurant area and a multi-screen cinema. Work was set to start in 2019.
In early 2020, McLaren Construction Group began building the extension. Half of the bus station had to close for a while. Then, the Coronavirus Pandemic caused work to stop. After new safety rules were made, work started again. John Lewis had also spent £21 million to update their store. They gave up some space for four new shops.
Next, a clothing store, was interested in a new unit. However, Next closed its Queensgate store in April 2021. TK Maxx announced they would move into a vacant unit on the Upper Ground Floor.
In summer 2021, John Lewis said they would not reopen their Peterborough store. Many people tried to keep it open, but John Lewis decided to leave the city.
Since reopening after the pandemic, Queensgate has seen new businesses. These include Black Sheep Coffee and Rich & Famous. Sostrene Green is also planning to open in the former Joule’s store.
The cinema development faced problems when Empire Cinemas closed. But in March 2024, Odeon Group announced they would take over the cinema. Also, Frasers Group plans to use the former John Lewis store. They will open a Frasers store and a Sports Direct store. This will bring brands like USC, Jack Wills, and Game to Queensgate. Frasers is expected to start work in 2025.
Queensgate Radio Station
From 1987 to 2011, a local radio station called Hereward Radio (now Heart Cambridgeshire) broadcast from Queensgate. Queensgate used to advertise on Hereward Radio with a jingle that called it "the capital city of shopping."
Getting to Queensgate
Queensgate has its own bus station right inside the shopping centre. It's also a very short walk from Peterborough railway station. This station is a major stop on the East Coast Main Line, which is a big train route.
