More jobs helps all businesses

THE

redevelopment of the Brotherhood Shopping Park has attracted an impressive list of retailers.

Asda Living has taken a 37,000 sq ft unit which is expected to open in the autumn and it will join Marks & Spencer, Next and Outfit in signing long leases on the site with another two stores expected to be announced in the next few weeks.

This will mean many hundreds of jobs becoming available - something the city needs.

There will of course be some nervous glances at the longer term and the impact this scheme and others might have on the city centre and other development plans.

Rightly so as it is important for Peterborough to be able to offer a vibrant range of shopping options that don’t detract from each other.

But the Brotherhood park features many stores which deal in larger items and household goods.

The centre of the city has fared comparatively well and will see Primark opening later this year along with Carluccio’s restaurant and some others.

There are worrying gaps in Bridge Street but with improvements on the way that street should also be able to attract more retailers.

In the short term, hundreds of jobs will bring more disposable income into the city in general, and that can only be good news for all retailers.