Calls made to re-open St Peter’s Arcade in Peterborough

The city council said it is “reviewing longer-term options” for the path between Bridge Street and the back of the Town Hall, which is currently closed due to the coronavirus pandemic as social distancing cannot be maintained.

At a meeting with councillors in November, Conservative cabinet member Cllr Marco Cereste said: “I’m not sure when it’s going to re-open. I suspect that it probably won’t in the long-term.

“As far as footfall is concerned, the footfall at Bridge Street has improved dramatically since St Peter’s Arcade was closed.”

The former council leader, who is now cabinet member for waste, street scene and the environment, later added: “The closure of St Peter’s Arcade was a temporary closure purely for safety, but now that we’ve seen a lot of the benefits from that then it may not open again.”

The council spent £300,000 revamping the gateway in 2014 when Cllr Cereste was leader, with works carried out to renovate the walls, floors and roofing and two new small shop units created.

A council spokesperson told the Peterborough Telegraph last week: “St Peter’s Arcade is currently temporarily closed due to safety restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The city council is currently reviewing longer-term options.”

However, opposition councillors will next week call on the arcade to be re-opened.

A motion at Wednesday’s Full Council meeting from Labour and Co-operative member for Ravensthorpe Cllr Ed Murphy states: “Council believes that a number of people and residents, particularly those who use wheelchairs, would wish to see St Peters’ Arcade opened as an access route into the town centre and that both routes could have been used to reduce possible Covid-19 risks with a one-way advisory in place.

“Council resolves to request that the cabinet member consider the re-opening of St Peter’s Arcade and enhanced access for disabled people into the city centre.”

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Nick Sandford also wants to see the walkway re-opened.

He will tell next week’s meeting that Peterborough’s Local Transport Plan calls for priority to be given to pedestrians and cyclists, adding that the permanent closure of St Peter’s Arcade could be seen as “completely contrary” to this.