Hopes grow of signing retailer for entire former Wilko store in Peterborough's Hereward Cross Shopping Centre

Talks are currently under way with a number of different businesses about possible uses for the Wilko store, which has been empty since the retailer’s collapse two years ago.

It is part of a wider interest among businesses for premises across Peterborough’s city centre and comes as new figures show that shop vacancy rates in Peterborough are among the lowest in the country.

The news follows Peterborough City Council’s decision to reject a planning application from Chongie Entertainment to open a branch of its Little Vegas adult gaming centres in part of the Hereward Centre.

Chongie had sought permission to use a 439 square metres unit within the former Wilko store for its gaming centre and which was to replace its current Little Vegas outlet in Broadway.

But council officers refused the application on the grounds that an over-concentration of adult gaming centres, betting and gambling shops in the area would be detrimental to its shopping frontage designation and would harm the vitality and viability of the Broadway area.

Afterwards, Edward Gee, director of commercial agency Savills in Peterborough, said “Our client was disappointed to see the planning application rejected.”

He said that Chongie did not intend to appeal against the planning refusal.

But the council’s decision is not likely to mean the unit remains empty for too long.

Mr Gee added: “We are in discussions with several other parties for the entirety of the former Wilko unit.

He added: “We are still seeing strong retail demand with various deals underway on the likes of Bridge Street and Westgate.”

Hereward Cross owner HCP Investments intends to split the former Wilko store into two units, one of 1,500 square metres and the other of 439 square metres.

Will Elphinstone, director of Tydus Peterborough, which is marketing the centre jointly with Savills, said: “We are now pursuing tenants that either fit with the existing planning consent or where a new consent is required, we feel Peterborough City Council will accept the proposed use.”

Pep Cipriano, chief operating officer for Peterborough Positive, which oversees the city’s Business Improvement District, said: “The council’s refusal was the right decision.

"I’m really pleased the council decided to act.

The city’s make up must be looked at robustly and there should be a cap on how many businesses of any one type that we want to see in the city centre.

"It doesn’t mean that every gambling or betting shop application will be refused.”

New figures from the business research and policy group, Centre for Cities, indicate that Peterborough can afford to be fussy about the type of businesses in its retail core.

The data shows Peterborough has a high street shop vacancy rate of just 10.3 percent.

It compares well with top performer London, which has a 7.3 percent vacancy rate, 8.5 percent for Cambridge, and 10.2 percent for nearby Milton Keynes.

The poorest vacancy rate is Newport with 19 percent and 14 percent in Northampton.

The decision to reject the Little Vegas application also came amidst growing concerns about the number of adult gaming centres, gambling shops and betting shops in the city.

Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes said: “People are fed up with our streets being turned into the Wild West by gambling shops.

"I’d like to thank the council for taking such a strong, grounded position in turning this down.

"“Nothing says more about the challenges facing Peterborough than the rise in fruit machine stores and vape shops.

"We need to call time on this decline and ensure councils have the power to deal with the uncontrolled growth of stores like these.”