Hopes that new department shop will boost footfall

13 December 2025

Shariqua Ahmed

News image — The department store has taken over a space occupied by John Lewis for many decades

Emma Baugh/BBC The entrance to Frasers department store in the Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough. It is a wide opening along an interior concourse, with people walking into the shop. The interior has shelves with shoes on it it and dressed mannequins. — The department store has taken over a space occupied by John Lewis for many decades

The opening of a new department store will hopefully help people "fall back in love" with Peterborough city centre, a leading business figure has said.

Frasers has opened a branch in a space occupied by the former John Lewis unit, which was spread over four floors at the Queensgate shopping centre.

The new store also offers a home to brands including Sports Direct, Flannels, USC, Evans Cycles and GAME.

Pep Cipriano, chief executive officer at Peterborough's Business Improvement District (BID) group, called Frasers a "perfect gift for the city".

The luxury retailer John Lewis shut, after 40 years at Queensgate, in 2021 despite a £21m refurbishment and it was followed by the exit of Next and Marks & Spencer.

However, new retailers have since moved into the shopping centre, including a TK Maxx, Sostrene Grene, Black Sheep Coffee and the return of an HMV, which had had a branch in Cathedral Square.

A new 10-screen Odeon cinema also opened in November last year which Queensgate said was a "turning point" for the centre.

Emma Baugh/BBC Pep, a man, wearing a blue jacket, smiling for the camera. He is outside and the background is out of focus. It is cloudy above. — Pep Cipriano hopes the Frasers store will bring footfall back to the city centre.

"The high street remains to be challenging and news like this is what we need," said Mr Cipriano.

"Our aim is to boost footfall in the city centre and Fraser is going to do that."

BIDs are set up by local councils, and they collect a levy from businesses which can be reinvested in projects.

The exterior, inside the shopping centre, of the former John Lewis store with grey shutters down over its main entrance. In the foreground is an escalator with some people going up it. — The former John Lewis unit had been vacant since 2021

Catherine Lambert, centre director at Queensgate, said the opening was a "significant moment".

"These brands bring exceptional choice, quality and excitement for our visitors, especially at such a magical time of year."

Speaking to the BBC, Labour city MP Andrew Pakes defended government policies and said it had introduced a £4.3bn support package to ease the transition to new business rates and the increased minimum wage.

"It's a really tough time for families and for businesses, I get that, but opening big stores like Frasers in our city centre proves that we can turn things around," he said.

"This is about government, council and businesses working together."

Emma Baugh/BBC Bruce Choto standing inside Queensgate Shopping Centre. He is smiling broadly and wearing a peaked grey cap, heavy black-framed glasses and a black jacket with a light grey collar. — Teacher Bruce Choto planned to buy perfumes as Christmas presents and look for some clothes

Bruce Choto, who was among shoppers who welcomed the new department store, said he had seen the city go "through difficulties" in the 26 years he had lived there.

"Now we have a new anchor store; hopefully this will increase footfall in the city," he said.

Meanwhile, shopper Adrian Clark agreed the Frasers opening was a "really good thing" for Peterborough.

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