London-founded fashion retailer Vanilla is gearing to open a new 3,622 sq ft store at Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough this autumn.
It will house both Blue Vanilla, its wide-appeal womenswear proposition, and Pink Vanilla, its younger, trend-led offer targeting 12–24-year-olds.
The new store adds to Vanilla’s 10 other shopping centre locations in the UK and Ireland, including at Bluewater in Kent, Lakeside in Essex, Meadowhall in Sheffield, the Metrocentre in Gateshead, Merry Hill in Birmingham and the Jervis Centre in Dublin.
At the new Peterborough store, Pink Vanilla will offer an extensive range of trend-led clothing and accessories aimed at Gen Z shoppers, while Blue Vanilla will provide more elevated “day-to-night” pieces designed to appeal to a wider demographic and suit a range of occasions.
Michelle Burns, Head of Retail Stores at Vanilla, said: “This has been a long time coming, with Queensgate being a key location for us. Its diverse customer base is a great fit for Vanilla, catering to both trend-aware Gen Z customers and those looking for a new weekday staple or an outfit for the evening. It is a very exciting moment for us as we look ahead to opening this autumn.”
The arrival comes amid a retail refresh at Queensgate, with Frasers taking over the space formerly occupied by John Lewis in December last year, nearly two years after its opening was first announced.
The store filled a large vacant unit left by the closure of John Lewis, which did not reopen following the third national lockdown during the pandemic. NEXT also previously closed its two-floor store, while Marks & Spencer exited the shopping centre, leaving no other department stores at the destination until the opening of Frasers, Flannels and Sports Direct.
This opening built on increased footfall at the centre following the launch of an ODEON cinema and IMAX in 2024, as part of wider investment and improvements to the shopping centre, which has faced a number of closures in recent years.
Commenting on the latest opening, Ed Ginn, Director of Investment Management at Queensgate owner Invesco Real Estate, said: “The signing of Vanilla at Queensgate comes at an exciting time for the centre, following a trio of investments from high-quality high street brands, including Primark, Boots and Vision Express.”
“Ongoing investment, along with the continued leasing momentum, has transformed the centre, meaning Queensgate is the go-to destination in the East of England. Vanilla’s trend-led and accessible ranges make a great addition, suiting both the fashion needs and wants of our visitors.”
Located in a prominent unit on Queensgate’s upper mall, Vanilla will bolster the fashion mix, which already includes H&M, Superdry, River Island and Primark.