Queensgate Shopping Centre

The Queensgate shopping centre in the United Kingdom, is situated at Peterborough city centre in Cambridgeshire. It was opened by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands on 9 March 1982 and contains over 90 stores and parking for 2,300 cars. Queensgate bus station is adjacent to the shopping centre and only a short walk from Peterborough railway station, a major interchange. Peterborough Shopmobility provide wheelchairs and electric scooters to help those with limited mobility.

Designated a New Town in 1967, Peterborough Development Corporation decided to construct a new purpose-built shopping centre in the heart of the revitalised city. Planning permission was received in the late summer of 1976 and, in the November of that year, the John Lewis Partnership announced that it had agreed to be the anchor shop in the new development. The opening of John Lewis Peterborough (and Waitrose supermarket) marked a return to the city after an absence of over twenty five years. Until 1956, when the two main blocks of the building were completely destroyed by fire, the John Lewis Partnership had a small department store in Peterborough trading under the name of Robert Sayle. Originally known as Thomsons, the shop had been renamed following acquisition by the Partnership in 1940. Robert Sayle was itself renamed John Lewis Cambridge after a major refurbishment in 2007.

Independent local radio stations, Gold Peterborough and Heart Cambridgeshire, formerly Hereward FM, has broadcast from studios at Queensgate since moving from Lower Bridge Street in 1987. Queensgate advertises on Heart with the jingle the capital city of shopping. Heart can be heard on 102.7FM in Peterborough, and 103FM in Cambridge.

In 2005 Hammerson Plc acquired a 50% interest in the freehold of Queensgate from Norwich Union Life and Pensions for a total consideration of £156 million. The north Westgate project will create a 646,000 square feet (60,000 m²) mixed-use development adjacent to the existing shopping centre. On completion of the works, the combined scheme will form a single 1,450,000 square feet (135,000 m²) destination. Plans for the North Westgate development were shelved, in the wake of the recession however, but have recently been mentioned in public again.

In 2007 Queensgate shopping centre announced it would be opening on Boxing Day for the first time in its 25 year history.

In 2011 a £20 million revamp to Queensgate has been confirmed. Including Top-brand Clothes shop Primark moving in taking over several shops and an extension to replace the stores that Primark will take over. Queensgate also intend to spend another £7 million refurbishing the centre’s catering offerings, mall areas and its 2,300-space car park. It is due to be completed in mid-2012. The changes to the car park will remove references to local historical figures (Edith Cavell, Frank Perkins, Henry Royce and John Clare) in favour of a colour-coding system.