A Hindu temple that has served as the community's central prayer-and-gathering place for nearly 40 years in Peterborough, UK, is facing a closure threat as the local council has decided to put the rented building complex on sale.
The temple management started an online petition against the move, and so far gathered thousands of signatures. Kishore Ladwa, the temple management head, told the BBC that the community is "feeling devastated and the council's decision has left them very worried".
The complex in which the temple is located is owned by the Peterborough City Council, and its sale is part of the government's ongoing efforts to reduce debts by selling its assets, reports said.
Know temple in England facing closure
The local council says its wants to “achieve the best price for British taxpayers”, but added that the existing tenants’ rights will be “taken into consideration”, news agency PTI reported
The Bharat Hindu Samaj Mandir, established in New England Complex in the eastern England city of Peterborough in 1986, has been serving the Hindu community, most of them of Indian origin, numbering over 13,000. It serves the the wider region of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire.
It launched its e-petition with the Peterborough City Council last week.
What mandir management, city council have said
{{/usCountry}}It launched its e-petition with the Peterborough City Council last week.
What mandir management, city council have said
{{/usCountry}}The council chose to go for open sale while the management wants to go with an earlier offer of 800,000 pounds to consider selling to the temple-running charity in recognition of its “social value”.
“The mandir (temple) is not just a building — it is a cornerstone of Peterborough’s community life, serving nearly 13,500 Hindus and countless others of all backgrounds. To lose it would be to lose one of the city’s greatest assets,” reads the e-petition, which runs until March 2026.
‘Space for everyone’
“From celebrating Hindu festivals to hosting Eastern European Christmas gatherings, school visits, after-school children’s sports clubs to cultural education and charitable activities, the mandir is a space for everyone. It stands as a symbol of unity, diversity, and community wellbeing, strengthening Peterborough’s reputation as an open, multicultural city where all traditions are respected,” it states.
The petition lists community initiatives run by the temple charity from the complex, such as health programmes, sporting events and soup kitchens.
“The Bharat Hindu Samaj Mandir is a centre of positive energy – a community hub that brings people together across faiths, cultures, and generations... It delivers vital community, cultural, and charitable services that no other organisation provides at this scale. Losing it would not only harm the Hindu community but also weaken the wider city’s social fabric,” it adds.
Why the council is going ahead with its decision
The local council has defended its decision. “We understand that this must be a worrying time for the Hindu community, however, we have to put all community assets we have identified to sell on the open market to ensure we achieve the best possible value for taxpayers,” said Councillor Mohammed Jamil, cabinet member for finance and corporate governance at the Peterborough City Council, as per PTI.
“The preferred bidder will take on the property with all existing tenancies in place. As part of the best and final offers process, all bidders have been asked to set out how they would work with the current occupants,” he said.
A final decision on the bids is expected at a council cabinet meeting next year.