Part of former Peterborough John Lewis store could become new home for mini golf course

The former John Lewis exterior at Queensgate.

The Original Bowling Company Limited have submitted an application for a gaming licence for new “Puttstars” venue in the city.

Puttstars currently have mini golf sites in Leeds, York, Rochdale and Harrow; which have three have three 9-hole courses, Zig Zag, Slingshot and Pin Ball, with users entering their scores on tablets as they go around.

The plans submitted to Peterborough City Council also show a series of arcade gaming machines, a pool area, video game machines, an air hockey, interactive darts machines as well as bars on both the first and second floor of the unit.

An image from Puttstars in Leeds - what the Peterborough site could look like.

A licence application has to be made to the council as there are plans for 35 gaming machines on the premises.

The application states that the premises would open until 1am.

The council documents on the proposal reveal that the new Puttstars centre would be located in Unit LL1 First and Second Floor of Queensgate.

This is believed to be part of the new £60m extension, that is nearing completion, but the docments state that it would include “part of the former John Lewis store.”

The retail giant sent shockwaves through the city in March last year when it announced that its flagship city store would not reopen at the end of the third national lockdown on April 12.

Despite efforts to save the store, the unit has been vacant ever since.

A new occupier for the unit has not been announced but the application from Original Bowling Company represents the first time that a new use for the unit has been mentioned.

The licence application will be discussed at the council’s Licencing Committee meeting on Thursday (April 7) at 6pm.

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