Puttstars: Licensing committee approves 35 new gaming machines for entertainment venue planned for Queensgate

A permit for the use of 35 gaming machines at a unit believed to be part of the former John Lewis store in Queensgate has been approved by councillors.

The approval was unanimously given at the meeting of the Licensing Committee of Peterborough City Council (7 April) – and will allow permission of the new machines at Puttstars.

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

The machines are approved for unit LL1 on the first and second floor at the Queensgate Shopping Centre – which is understood to be part of the former John Lewis store.

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

The applicants, The Original Bowling Company Limited, based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, have permission to install the 35 gaming machines under Section 283 of the Gambling Act 2005.

On 13 February, a response was received from Cambridgeshire Constabulary informing Peterborough City Council Licensing Committee members that they had no representations to make in respect of this application.

Peterborough City Council Licensing Committee members did not receive a response from the Gambling Commission.

John Lewis sent shockwaves through Peterborough after the retailer announced it would not reopen after the temporary lockdown closure of non essential retail back in April 12, 2021.

The closure of the John Lewis store brought the department store chain’s presence in the city to an end after 39 years.

The store opened at the same time as the Queensgate centre.