‘We don’t need another coffee shop’ – Peterborough shoppers react to Costa plans

The major coffeehouse chain recently applied to Peterborough City Council for a certificate of lawfulness which, if approved, would allow it to open a new store at the ground floor of 61 Bridge Street, opposite the former TK Maxx building.

A planning statement, submitted by Savills on behalf of Costa, read: “The applicant is keen to secure the occupation of the site as a coffee shop.

“This will ensure the vitality and viability of the town centre, bringing a vacant unit back into active use and providing employment opportunities.”

“There must be something else they can do with it"

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) in the city centre, Peterborough resident Nick Carter felt that there were enough coffee shops already.

He said: “We don’t need another coffee shop. There must be something else they can do with it.”

In terms of city centre shopping in general, Mr Carter added: “All the shops are closing down and I think the rents are too high.

“John Lewis was shut down and that was probably the best shop we had. It’s very rare we come into the city centre to actually buy anything.”

Rodney Harris, who lives in Cambridge but works in Peterborough, said: “There must be a hell of a lot of money in coffee because there’s a lot of shops. They’re springing up all over the place.”

Mr Harris told the LDRS that the city centre was “not like it used to be”.

“My wife used to love coming here for things like Marks and Spencer and John Lewis but they’re all gone,” he added.

Yaxley resident Roy Mercer said: “I think there’s enough [coffee shops] already.

“I don’t very often come in [to the city centre]. There’s nothing here unless you want to eat and drink.”

Tina Ankers has lived in Peterborough since 1973 and said the city centre had changed a lot in recent years.

“Do we need another coffee shop? That is a definite no-no,” she said.

Ms Ankers believed the empty unit on Bridge Street should be “catered to the youth” and thought the city centre in general was “bland and boring”.

She said: “Back in the day there was a lot more choice, a lot more variety and aesthetically it looked better.”

“There are hundreds of worse places to be and live and work than Peterborough"

Pep Cipriano is chief operating officer at Peterborough Positive, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID) campaign, which aims to improve the city centre experience.

He said the organisation was working with agencies and partners like the council and police to try and tackle challenges that the city faced, and said it was “great news” that a brand like Costa was hoping to fill an empty unit.

“The city has a perception challenge,” he said.

“And the only way that’s going to change is when the people within our city start to see it in a more positive light because there are hundreds of worse places to be and live and work than Peterborough.

“I personally feel that having Costa, a big national brand, at the top of Bridge Street is a really good thing.”

Mr Cipriano said there were three city centre events planned between this weekend and next weekend, which were due to bring in lots of footfall.

These included a Peterborough Strongest event at Cathedral Square and yoga sessions at the cathedral on Saturday, August 9, as well as a Big Screen Family Film event on Sunday August 17.

He added that there was “lots going on behind the scenes to keep the city moving in the right direction”.

More details of the upcoming events can be found on the Peterborough Positive website at https://www.peterboroughpositive.co.uk/

“The city certainly has a bright future"

Cllr Mohammed Jamil, deputy leader of Peterborough City Council, told the LDRS that the authority was “actively working with partners” to help enhance the city centre.

He said: “We are one of the fastest growing cities in the country and with major growth projects such as the Station Quarter in the pipeline, along with our university ARU Peterborough going from strength to strength, the city certainly has a bright future.

“I would also add that we continue to have a vibrant programme of events taking place in the city centre such as the Shaun the Sheep activity at the Cathedral and Dr Who exhibition at the museum, to name just two events, which are attracting healthy footfall to the area.”

The ground floor at 61 Bridge Street, where Costa is hoping to move into, was recently marketed by Tydus Real Estate with an annual rent of £40,000 and annual rates of £14,000.

It was described by the company as an “attractive, modern building” with “fantastic street presence”.

Costa Coffee was approached for comment.