Leisure venue for children and adults to be created in Peterborough’s Hereward Cross Shopping Centre

Activ8 has just signed a lease on a large unit inside the former Wilko store in the Hereward Cross Shopping Centre.

An array of fun activities are being planned by Activ8 ranging from VR games to curling lanes and board games.

Activ8 has previously operated a leisure venue at the Serpentine Green Shopping Centre in Hampton.

Will Elphinstone, director of commercial agents Tydus Peterborough, which is marketing Hereward Cross jointly with Savills, said: “We have recently let a large portion of the former Wilko unit to Activ8.

"It will become a leisure venue for children and adults.

"We are hoping it will be able to bring some excitement and fun to the city centre.

”It’s a social gaming bar with curling lanes, darts, VR and board games.

"I believe they will be bringing in further activities as well in the future."

Wilko vacated the large unit at Hereward two years after the retailer’s collapse.

Since then the centre’s owners have secured planning approval to divide the unit into two spaces.

Chongie Entertainment Ltd had sought the go ahead to open a Little Vegas adult gaming centre in part of the former Wilko store in the Hereward Cross Shopping Centre.

But Peterborough City Council refused to grant approval for a change of use.

Councillors said the decision was due to concerns it would ‘harm the vitality and viability of the Broadway area’.