Alice persuades me that Queensgate is a fun place

Alice and Paddington Bear in Queensgate.
What a magical place!

Alice slept over last night because Max and Inna wanted to celebrate their anniversary. It meant there was no early start, although she was awake at the crack of dawn, so no early drive but no lie-in either.

We were going shoe-shopping with her to buy new shoes for starting school and we’d booked a fitting slot at Clarks in Queensgate. This is a big moment … your first school shoes, but also the end of individualism and the start of conformity. All Alice’s shoes are colourful or glittery, these were black with the smallest bow, also black; and a pair of pumps (also black).

We did buy a pair of pink trainers as well and she was delighted with those until she saw multicoloured shoes with flashing lights in the soles in Skechers.

I’ve decided that Queensgate is in decline and has no shops worth visiting, but Alice saw things very differently. It has multi-storey car parks and you can drive right to the top, there’s a lift that takes you down to the shops at the touch of a button and, when the lift doors open, you’re presented with a bright, shiny play space that makes you want to run.

After looking down on the buses, she charged forward and when we passed Lush, she couldn’t believe it. “Look at all the soap grandad, it smells amazing!”

Clarks was a more serious business, but very interesting, then there was a long escalator and electric cars that you could drive in the main square. She loved St John’s Church, she loved Wildwood and, I have to say, I left Peterborough with a much more positive view than I’ve had for a long time. Shopping was never so much fun.