We ask Peterborough's election candidates about the high street

We asked the 2024 election candidates for the Peterborough constituency to tell us what they thought about the current state of the high street.

Nick Sandford (Liberal Democrats)

Nick Sandford is the Liberal Democrat candidate for Peterborough. (Image: Nick Sandford)

"The Conservative government has failed our shops and businesses. Economic growth is minimal and constant U-turns have badly damaged business confidence.

Unfair tax hikes have further dented prosperity, and our town centres and high streets are crying out for a fairer deal.

The Conservatives’ botched deal with Europe has done enormous damage to British shops and businesses, putting up new barriers to trade and creating reams of red tape.

Two decades of Conservative rule at Peterborough Town Hall saw lax interpretation of planning rules permit a plethora of out of town shopping, eating and leisure developments.

I have lost count of the number of drive-through coffee and burger bars that we now have around our city.

Our city centre has suffered, losing big name retailers such as John Lewis and Marks and Spencer from Queensgate.

Our new Council administration and production of a new local plan creates opportunities for change but only if there is political will to bring it about.

The Lib Dems would boost small businesses and empower them to create new local jobs, including by abolishing business rates and replacing them with a Commercial Landowner Levy to help our high street shops.

We would triple the digital services tax, to ensure that online retailers pay their fare share of tax and don't compete unfairly with city centre shops."

Paul Bristow (Conservatives)

Paul Bristow is the Conservative candidate for Peterborough. (Image: Paul Bristow)

"As Peterborough’s MP, I secured over £125 million in new government funding.

Much of this is targeted at our city centre, from the new footbridge over the Nene to the Station Quarter.

That’s essential to safeguard our shops and restaurants. The Queensgate Centre has suffered setbacks, so this is a crucial moment.

New tenants, like Frasers, are lined up. Getting my key city-centre projects delivered will provide the confidence that our retailers need.

A rebuilt railway station and a rebuilt bus station are at the heart of my plan, as part of the wider Station Quarter vision.

Nor can we ignore our other high streets, like Lincoln Road in Milfield. The improvements there will finally create an attractive area for residents and shoppers to enjoy.

I know what needs to happen. Some of it requires pressure, like getting the council and police to deal with antisocial behaviour and begging, which puts many people off going into the centre.

I’ve got over 50 extra police officers on Peterborough’s streets. I’ll get this done.

Other aspects require an MP who is a local champion, banging the drum for our city. I’ve already shown I can do that – give me a second term and I’ll deliver even more."

Nicola Day (Green Party)

Nicola Day is the Green Party candidate for Peterborough. (Image: Nicola Day)

"We would like to see more diversification with more independent businesses and retailers.

The Unity Shop in Queensgate is a great example of that as are the traders in the old arcade.

We would also like to see more arts and cultural events to encourage the footfall into our city centre.

Green MPs will back the creation of regional mutual banks to drive investment in local economic stability and support the investment into small and medium enterprises and small businesses.

We would exempt cultural events (theatre/museum/workshops) from paying VAT and give local authorities discretionary powers to socially and economically local enterprises from business rates.

We would also look carefully at our local plan and town planning.

Out of town retail parks have damaged the high street and that balance needs to readdressed."

Tom Rogers (Christian Peoples Alliance)

Tom Rogers is the Christian Peoples Alliance candidate for Peterborough. (Image: CPA)

"The crazy and pointless lockdowns of the Covid era, with small businesses saddled with crippling loans to stay afloat, almost killed off what was already a struggling retail and services sector.

We need radical action now to restore and revitalise our city centres, such as that of Peterborough, where we’ve lost so many local shops dear to our hearts, including our major department stores – John Lewis and Beales.

To stop the store closures the CPA would abolish commercial rates altogether, which would support both small local businesses and the viability of major company outlets in Peterborough.

The cost (£21bn) would be funded by our five per cent Turnover Tax, which works like a seller’s VAT (with the same £85,000 threshold as existing VAT), and would be offset against Corporation Tax, so British companies will pay less and a fairer amount of tax would be taken from huge multinationals like Amazon, Facebook, Starbucks, etc, who otherwise send their profits abroad to avoid Corporation Tax.

People still want to go to shops, but shops can’t compete against online retail.

This innovative CPA policy would create a level playing field between online and shop retail, British companies and multinationals, and help a wide range of local businesses to succeed.

The candidates for the Peterborough constituency are: 

Paul Bristow (Conservatives)

Nicola Day (Green Party)

Amjad Hussain (Workers Party of Britain)

Zahid Ejaz Khan (Independent)

Sue Morris (Reform UK)

Andrew Pakes (Labour)

Tom Rogers (Christian Peoples Alliance)

Nick Sandford (Liberal Democrats)