Peterborough, England – March 2000

By: Anj Cairns

Everything changes?
Whilst I’ve been off in cosmic exploration south of the equator, changes have been amidst. Evidently some things about my hometown appear to have stayed the same; it’s still cold in the seemingly everlasting winter, the cathedral is still standing and buses still insist on turning up 3 at a time when you’ve waited half an hour. Mystically, however, the number of eight year olds with mobile phones has tripled and accommodation, eateries and means to global communication have sprung up everywhere.

Millennium
I made it home for the Millennium celebrations and while the heavens didn’t grace us with any rainfall, the whole thing was a bit of a wash out. Peterborough City Council decided in their wisdom to save us tax payers money and not celebrate at all. The consequence was many privately funded parties and a fortune spent on fireworks.

But it’s not all dud bangers as the real reason for the lack of festivities was recently revealed by a council representative: it wasn’t the real millennium! Oh yeah, we’re nothing if not technically correct here and all those residing in or visiting the area can look for to the real millennium celebrations on New Year’s Eve 2000 – Watch this space to see what develops!

Technology
If you’re visiting Peterborough and want to email home you can now do so with ease by popping into the Peterborough Cyber CafÃ© in the Cowgate area of the city centre. For those unfamiliar with the vicinity it can be found near to the central post office behind Cathedral Square.

The Cyber CafÃ© has several advantages over the other internet option which is to pop into the nearest library. These are that it is open each day of the week and for considerably longer. There is also not the limit on time as found in public libraries and no booking necessary. The owners have lately been attempting to widening the profile of the establishment and welcome all, shown admirably by their group sessions with OAPs (Old Age Pensioners).

For those partial to a decent cup of coffee without the need of a keyboard and monitor it’s well worth dropping into the newly opened branch of Starbucks. They offer a wide range of coffees to suit all palates and purse strings in a cosmopolitan setting. When I returned home I went to visit my bank to find it had not only moved, but come to resemble the interior of a space ship, vacating it’s old premises to make room for the entrance of Starbucks.

Accommodation
Accommodation is about to reach new heights with the opening of a new YHA hostel this year in the city. Situated near the more expensive Butterfly Hotel it is within walking distance the city centre, train station and hospital (though we hope no one will need to utilise the latter!).

It is also near to the river, rowing course and sculpture park. It would be an exaggeration to say that anyone flocks to see the sculpture but it makes a pleasant walk on a nice day. For those seeking budget accommodation it seems worth considering at Â£7.40 for under 18s and Â£10.85 for adults per night at membership rate. It does however boast the hazard of many English YHAs of not being open during the day so come hell or high water (and the river has been known to flood!) you will go out and see the local sights during the day!

Upcoming Events
Although still not a major venue for large bands, the pubs and clubs of Peterborough do appear to be making a concerted effort to bring music to the ears of the populace. An up and coming venue is The Metropolis Lounge (59 Bridge Street) which hosts the long standing Sugar Club on a Saturday night. It’s latest coup has been the appearance of 80s/90s Goth band All About Eve who had all but disappeared from the spotlight. Coming up in March is “Monsters of Tribute Rock 2000″, hosting bands in the guise of Guns ‘n’ Roses, The Stone Roses, Aerosmith and The Doors. Tickets for all events can be purchase from Metropolis 01733 566100, Lounge Lizard on Cross Street or Bogarts Bar on North Street.

Coming up at the Cresset in Bretton Centre is the monthly comedy night “Gagging for it” on 24th March and 28th April, featuring Otis Lee Crenshaw (Rich Hall) and Donna Mcfail, Andy Robinson, Trevor Cook respectively. Also in April in Mark Lamarr’s “Entering the 21st Century”. For all details contact the box office on 01733 265705.

City Developments
Whilst the city was previously wowed by the opening of Tesco Extra in Hampton’s retail park, Serpentine Green and the subsequent vast array of shops which only torture those of us who don’t have the pennies to succumb to rampant consumerism, it seems the area also has a considerable amount to offer nature lovers. Whilst rumours still abound as to whether or not everything built in the area will sink into ground, the wildlife continues to thrive regardless.

The largest colony of Great Crested Newts in Europe reside in a special nature conservation area and over 70 species of birds have been spotted so it is probably worth carrying an umbrella during the spring mating season! Although an extensive country park is in the pipeline, part of this is already open to the public. 86 acres in total, Crown Lakes provides a location for those wanting to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Hi, I am Anj, a thin girl who eats too much and incessantly dyes her hair strange colours. Here follows a brief introduction to the town where I have spent much of my life! As with most people’s home towns it sometimes is excruciatingly hard to see it’s good points but low and behold I’ve managed to find a few!

General Info Section

Named after the abbey of St Peter, Peterborough is host to a great deal more than an historical religious affiliation. Here are some useful tips and contacts to aid your stay.

GETTING HERE

Links to and from the city are well covered by both National Express coaches (0990 808080) and British Rail (0345 0484 950).

National Express returns are particularly cheap from London, but it is a long coach journey of 4 hours considering it covers only 80 miles. More expensive is the train where you can choose from an intercity ticket or a Great Northern Trains ticket. The latter is cheaper but stops everywhere taking about an hour and a half. The former costs anything from Â£24 upwards and takes 50 minutes from Kings Cross, London.

Beware – most tickets from London cannot be used between 3pm and 6pm on weekdays as these are main commuter times.

ACCOMMODATION

Once here you need accommodation of some sort. There are a range of Bed and Breakfasts around the city centre and more info about these can be gained from Tourist Information (01733 452336).

For those on a low budget or just a love of the outdoors, there are full camping facilities at Ferry Meadows Country Park (01733 234443). Those allergic to fresh air, but want somewhere cheap should try Hotel Formule 1 in the Boongate area of the city (01733 894440) which is styled on sparse Japanese capsule still accommodation.

For those whose wallets are over flowing with paper currency, there is Orton Hall Hotel in the picturesque village of Orton Waterville. Rooms in this old converted manor start at Â£100 a night, but by all account (never had that much spare cash lying around!) it lives up to it’s reputation.

EATING AND PARTYING

A decent night out in Peterborough will cost you about Â£30/Â£40 pounds – cheaper if you are staying near to the city centre and then you reduce the horrendous taxi prices (I live 5 miles away and it cost me Â£9 to get home after a night out!).

Food in restaurants, pubs and cafes ranges from Â£3 to Â£50 a head, so there really is something to suit everyone!

A pint of beer is, on average, Â£2 and while being cheaper than London, it is by far more expensive than similar sized places farther north so try and watch out for drinks promos!