Peterborough Queensgate: bus station disruption to end as £60 million cinema extension nears completion

Disruption to bus services at Peterborough’s Queensgate shopping centre will end next month as the construction of a 10 screen Empire cinema nears completion.

Fore the last two years shoppers on 13 different bus routes that began at bays 10a to 20 on the East side lane of the bus station, adjacent to the Queensgate centre, have faced a walk to a temporary bus station in Acland Street.

The change was needed to ensure the safety of shoppers as construction work on the multi-million pound cinema spilled out on to the roof of the shopping centre.

But that disruption will end on May 3 as construction of the £60 million iMax cinema-led extension enters its final phase.

Mark Broadhead, Centre Director at Queensgate, said: “I would like to thank everyone for their patience during this important part of the extension build and to see us enter the final stages leading up to the extension opening.”

Matt Gladstone, chief executive at Peterborough City Council, said: “We are pleased to see the bus station return fully to Queensgate after an important temporary relocation to allow a multi-million cinema development to be built.

“I know I am not the only one looking forward to the opening of the cinema within easy walking distance for those in the city centre and nearby wards.

"Elsewhere in the city, our economy shows further signs of bouncing back following Covid-19 and we have a number of other exciting openings, including the new university, the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel and the Government Hub at Fletton Quays.

Mr Gladstone added: “2022 is a significant year for our city and its future development.”

Construction work on the cinema extension began after a lengthy planning and legal battle between Queensgate owners and Hawksworth Securities, which owns the adjoining North Westgate, which was given approval for a cinema extension at the same time as Queensgate.

It prompted Hawksworth owner Peter Breach to make an unsuccessful court plea to overturn the Queensgate decision claiming it would make his venture unviable.

Much of the 70,000 square feet extension was surplus space relinquished by department store John Lewis, which stretched across four floors.

But the department chain dealt the mall a blow last year with the shock announcement of its closure.

While the space occupied by John Lewis has still to be filled, the changing nature of the shopping centre can be glimpsed by the announcement by innovative indoor mind golf brand Puttstars that it is investing £2.5 million to open three nine-hole courses inside the Queensgate extension.

Darren Roe, Managing Director of bus operator Stagecoach East, said: "We are delighted that the bus station at Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough will reopen from May 3, enabling our buses to resume their operations to and from this popular venue.

"We want to thank our passengers for their patience while this temporary measure was in place, and are now looking forward to resuming operations at the Queensgate bus lane now that work has completed.

The change means from May 3, bus services, 4, 6, 23, 24, 31, 33, 36, 37, 60, 61, 62 and 63 and 904 will return to their original location.