IN PICTURES: Six new retailers expected to open in Peterborough after six stores close

Changing shopping habits from buying online to a preference for parking close to stores have paved the way for some high profile retail closures in Peterborough.

Women’s fashion retailer Monsoon Accessorize is to close today (May 23) and will be the latest in a number of departures over the last couple of years that include department store chain John Lewis, fashion retailer Next, clothing brand Joules, cosmetics retailer The Body Shop, and just this weekend, food and clothing retailer Marks and Spencer have left some big gaps in the Queensgate Shopping Centre with

But it is not all gloom because the city centre is also promising a raft of new arrivals over the coming year.

They include Ben & Jerry’s ice cream parlour, which has just opened in Exchange Street. Moving into Queensgate is big retailing group Frasers and separately the Frasers-owned brand Sports Direct while the Odeon cinema group is expected to start operating the new eight screen IMAX cinema in the centre and Danish lifestyle brand Sostrene Grene is expected to move into the former Joules store. An artisan coffee and wine bar has also secured approval to open at the Cumbergate end of the centre.