Peterborough’s riverside embankment could be transformed into a thriving leisure and cultural destination under plans being explored by Cambridgeshire & Peterborough mayor Paul Bristow, who has also revealed he is considering introducing a tourist tax to fund new infrastructure.
In an interview reported by Local Government Chronicle (LGC) editor Sarah Calkin, Mr Bristow said he intends to establish a mayoral development corporation to drive forward regeneration of Peterborough’s city centre and embankment. The move would aim to unlock major investment and revitalise the area along the River Nene, which he described as an underused asset.
“We’re the only city in the country that doesn’t use its river,” Mr Bristow said during a discussion at last week’s Conservative Party conference, hosted by the Centre for Cities thinktank. “We could build up big by the river, with a whole series of bars and restaurants, a nighttime economy.”
The proposed development corporation would focus on eight key sites around Peterborough’s centre, giving the combined authority greater powers to plan, coordinate and deliver regeneration schemes. Mr Bristow said Peterborough City Council had struggled to “find the headspace or capacity” to realise the city’s full potential due to budget pressures and annual election cycles.
Calling the city “a grain of sand that can turn into a diamond,” the mayor said he wants to harness Peterborough’s strong transport links to London and the Midlands to attract investors, residents and visitors alike.
To help fund infrastructure and tourism initiatives, Mr Bristow confirmed he is exploring the introduction of a voluntary tourist tax, similar to those seen in Manchester and Liverpool. “Everything’s on the table,” he told LGC, adding that he wants to “raise revenue to borrow against” for future projects.
The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority has recently launched a Local Enterprise Visitor Partnership, chaired by Mr Bristow, to maximise the economic benefits of tourism across the region. The initiative comes as nearby Bedfordshire prepares for a new Universal Studios theme park, with Peterborough the closest mainline rail connection.
Bristow said the combined authority must seize the opportunity to attract visitors heading to the new resort: “We should make sure that someone coming from the other side of the world to visit Universal Studios is able to enjoy historic Cambridge — and riverside Peterborough — as well.”
Full report by Sarah Calkin can be read in Local Government Chronicle.
