Peterborough retail project aiming high after hitting £1m milestone
The Unity project was set up in 2023
A retail project in Peterborough which has raised £1 million for small local businesses hopes it can carry on strong.
Unity, based at Queensgate Shopping Centre and run by Up The Garden Bath, opened in November 2023 and since then, has helped thousands of local firms grow.
"We have given an affordable platform that they would never be able to afford; that helps them reach a large audience in Peterborough's largest shopping centre and it's helping small businesses grow," Dave Poulton, founder of Up The Garden Bath, said.
"The idea is quite simple; none of us can afford to have our own shop but together, if we share the space, we all get an opportunity."
Up The Garden Bath upcycles and reuses bath tubs that would otherwise go to waste.
Since it launched in February 2020, 80 upcycled bathtub planters have been installed in schools, community centres and residential care homes in the Peterborough area.
The initiative has also delivered interactive workshops to more than 30,000 people of different ages and learning abilities.
Million-pound milestone not enough for project
"Our vendors give us a small voluntary contribution for their space; it allows us to upcycles old baths into small garden planters," Dave said.
"The support of the shoppers of Peterborough have bought into the idea of shopping local and supporting local businesses."
The project has a lease on its current site in Queensgate until next year.
It has also got former England goalkeeper David James on board as an ambassador for its Goal2Grow project, which makes football kits more affordable for low-income families.
David said the aim now is to raise £1.5m with 50,000 people coming along to its craft workshops.
"It's about building on what we've already established," he added.
"We're just going to carry on bringing the city together."