Queensgate shopping centre
Encyclopedia
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 a 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.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, is situated at Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
city centre in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. It was opened by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
on 9 March 1982 and contains over 90 stores and parking for 2,300 cars. Queensgate bus station
Queensgate bus station
Queensgate bus station serves the city of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England. The bus station is located adjacent to Queensgate shopping centre and is only a short walk from Peterborough railway station and the city centre...
is adjacent to the shopping centre and only a short walk from Peterborough railway station
Peterborough railway station
Peterborough railway station serves the city of Peterborough, England. It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
, a major interchange. Peterborough Shopmobility provide wheelchairs and electric scooters to help those with limited mobility.
Designated a New Town
New towns in the United Kingdom
Below is a list of some of the new towns in the United Kingdom created under the various New Town Acts of the 20th century. Some earlier towns were developed as Garden Cities or overspill estates early in the twentieth century. The New Towns proper were planned to disperse population following the...
in 1967, Peterborough Development Corporation
Peterborough Development Corporation
The Peterborough Development Corporation was established in February 1968, as a national government initiative, following the city's designation as a third-wave New Town in July 1967...
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
John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership is an employee-owned UK partnership which operates John Lewis department stores, Waitrose supermarkets and a number of other services...
announced that it had agreed to be the anchor shop in the new development. The opening of John Lewis
John Lewis (department store)
-Recent developments:In June 2004, John Lewis announced plans to open its first store in Northern Ireland at the Sprucefield Park development, the province's largest out of town shopping centre, located outside Lisburn and from Belfast. The application was approved in June 2005 and the opening of...
Peterborough (and Waitrose
Waitrose
Waitrose Limited is an upmarket chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and is the food division of the British retailer and worker co-operative the John Lewis Partnership. Its head office is in Bracknell, Berkshire, England...
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
Robert Sayle
Robert Sayle, named after the man who founded it, was a department store in Cambridge, England belonging to the John Lewis Partnership. The original Robert Sayle store opened in 1840 in St Andrew's Street and continued to trade until 2004, when it moved to temporary premises in Burleigh Street...
. Originally known as Thomsons, the shop had been renamed following acquisition by the Partnership in 1940. Robert Sayle was itself renamed John Lewis Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
after a major refurbishment in 2007.
Independent local radio
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
stations, Gold Peterborough and Heart Cambridgeshire
Heart Cambridgeshire
Heart Cambridgeshire is an Independent Local Radio Station broadcasting to Cambridgeshire from studios in Peterborough. The station began broadcasting on 2 July 2010 as a result of a merger between Heart Peterborough and Heart Cambridge...
, 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
Hammerson
Hammerson plc is a major British property development and investment company. The firm switched to Real Estate Investment Trust status when REITs were introduced in the United Kingdom in January 2007. It is traded on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index...
Plc acquired a 50% interest in the freehold
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
of Queensgate from Norwich Union
Norwich Union
Norwich Union was the name given to insurance company Aviva's British arm before June 2009. It was originally established in 1797. It is the biggest life insurance provider in the United Kingdom, and has a strong position in motor insurance...
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
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
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
Primark
Primark is a clothing retailer, operating over 223 stores in Ireland , the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Belgium...
moving in taking over several shops and a 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
Edith Cavell
Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse and spy. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from all sides without distinction and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during World War I, for which she was arrested...
, Frank Perkins
Frank Perkins
Frank Perkins was a British engineer, businessman, creator of the Perkins Diesel Engine, and founder of Perkins Engines Company Limited.-Background and early life:...
, Henry Royce
Henry Royce
Sir Frederick Henry Royce, 1st Baronet, OBE was a pioneering car manufacturer, who with Charles Stewart Rolls founded the Rolls-Royce company.-Early life:...
and John Clare
John Clare
John Clare was an English poet, born the son of a farm labourer who came to be known for his celebratory representations of the English countryside and his lamentation of its disruption. His poetry underwent a major re-evaluation in the late 20th century and he is often now considered to be among...
) in favour of a colour coding system.