UK's only Hindu temple in Peterborough fights for survival after council sells site to Islamic group

The Bharat Hindu Samaj (BHS) temple, established in 1986 by Indian families expelled from Uganda during Idi Amin's regime, has challenged the sale in the UK High Court, arguing that Peterborough City Council's decision was unlawful.

Temple trustees challenge sale

The dispute centres on the New England Complex, where the temple has operated for nearly four decades.

According to the temple's trustees, they had been negotiating to buy the property for years and submitted an offer of £1.3 million after the council indicated it was willing to sell.

However, trustee Gauri Chaudhary said the council did not respond to the offer for several months.

"Peterborough City Council told us in March 2025 that we could buy the property, and we put an offer in place for £1.3 million. We did not get any response until September 2025. We were then informed it had gone to the best and final offer stage," Chaudhary told India Today TV.

The council ultimately approved the sale to Khadijah Mosque, part of the United Kingdom Islamic Mission (UKIM).

Council says sale was part of debt reduction

The Labour-led Peterborough City Council decided to sell the former school building as part of efforts to reduce its nearly £500 million debt.

According to reports, UKIM plans to transform the site into a "unity centre" featuring prayer halls, classrooms and sports and recreational facilities.

The council has maintained that the bidding process was transparent, fair and lawful.

High Court  hears legal challenge

Following the sale decision, BHS trustees obtained an injunction temporarily halting the transaction and raised around £86,000 through a global GoFundMe campaign to fund their legal challenge.

During High Court proceedings, lawyers for the temple argued that the case is not a challenge to the Islamic organisation but to the legality of the council's decision-making process.

They contended that councillors failed to properly consider their obligations under the Equality Act 2010, particularly the impact of displacing what they describe as the principal place of Hindu worship in eastern England.

The petitioners also argued that the temple has no alternative premises, while UKIM operates dozens of centres across the UK.

Council rejects allegations

Representing Peterborough City Council, lawyers denied the allegations, arguing that councillors were fully aware of the temple's significance and made their decision only after years of engagement with trustees and a competitive bidding process.

The council has also said it is exploring alternative premises for Bharat Hindu Samaj and has assured worshippers that the community "will not be left without a home."

Temple serves thousands

Founded by Indians who fled Uganda following dictator Idi Amin's expulsion order in 1972, Bharat Hindu Samaj is the only Hindu temple within a roughly 35-mile (around 50-km) radius of Peterborough.

The temple serves nearly 14,000 Hindus across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Besides religious services, its adjoining community centre hosts yoga classes, language lessons, sports clubs, health programmes and activities for senior citizens.

The proposed sale has sparked concern within the local Hindu community, with some questioning why the city's only Hindu temple is being displaced while several other places of worship for different faiths already exist.

The High Court is yet to deliver its verdict on whether the council's decision to sell the property should be quashed. Until then, the injunction remains in place, leaving the future of the temple uncertain.