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Market moves onto streets

16/ 4/2008

PLANS to move the struggling Tommyfield outdoor market onto the streets of the town centre have moved a step closer.

Planning permission has been granted for the scheme, which would see more than 40 stalls set up in the pedestrianised zone on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

There would be 15 stalls on Albion Street, 15 on Market Place, eight on High Street and four on Curzon Street.

As revealed last year, council bosses want to relocate the market, which has used the same site since 1868, in a bid to keep it alive.

It is also hoped that the siting of the market stalls will enhance the character of the town centre.

Despite objections from Spindles that the market would affect trading in the shopping centre, councillors unanimously approved the plans

Cllr Javid Iqbal said: "The relocation of the market could increase footfall in the area which would be a good thing for the market and Spindles as well."

To avoid clashes with the centre and to ensure as wide a variety of commodities as possible are on sale, it is planned that the process to select traders will be based on, among other categories, the range of goods sold and their proximity to existing retail outlets.

Cllr Keith Pendlebury added: "Really, the market started to die when Spindles opened, so let's give the market traders the opportunity for a better solution."

The market stalls would be dismantled at the end of each session, and to comply with safety issues, vehicles offloading stock must clear the site by 9am at the latest and will not be able to return until at least 5pm.

To create space, three benches will be removed. Cllr Christine Wheeler asked if these provisions could be relocated, rather than removed.

Planning officers agreed that this could be an alternative option.

Although councillors raised concerns over the possibility of an increase in waste on market days, officers said that this could be addressed when authorising traders’ licences.

Cllr Wheeler said: "There’s an old saying, if you don’t use it, you lose it, and I think that is what’s happened to Tommyfield. I think this is a brilliant idea."

When the scheme was first announced in January 2007, the cost was estimated at a minimum of £100,000, while the council feared it could lose at least £70,000 from annual income generated by the market if it closed.

A further £52,000 would be lost if the Sunday car boot sale, which shares the site, disappeared.

However, the move would also open up a prime development site in the town centre, which could prove very lucrative for the council.

For the last decade the market’s popularity has been in steep decline, a trend blamed on the reduction in traders, a poor mix of goods and value for money, an increase in budget shops selling similar goods and falling footfall.

Attempts to reinvigorate the market including reducing rents, removing vacant stalls, improved car parking and changes in layout, have failed.