Boom at market stalls living on borrowed time

Town centre bosses in Barnsley first drew up plans for what was then called the Barnsley Markets Project in 2006, and building work should have started in 2008.

The new building, which was set to include a new market hall, a department store, a seven-screen cinema, shops and restaurants, was supposed to be complete last year.

But the economic downturn has seen plans redrawn and downsized, and a new deal has been signed with developers under which it is hoped to deliver the scheme by early 2016.

Some market traders who have been selling goods on Barnsley Market for decades have complained about the scheme, saying the council should leave the current set-up alone.

And new figures unveiled by the authority yesterday showed that, despite the uncertainty, the existing market has seen an major upturn in interest from potential stallholders.

Revealing the statistics, the council said: “In the face of continuing tough trading conditions, Barnsley market is bucking the national trend by reporting high levels of demand from traders for its stalls.”

The latest figures show that all of the 300 stalls in the town’s market halls and semi-open market, off Cheapside, are fully let. Rents for stalls have remained unchanged for several years.

Anne Untisz, Barnsley Council’s town centre services manager, said: “Over the last few weeks we have seen a significant increase in the number of inquiries for open market stalls and for vacant shop units.

“Eight prospective new businesses have approached us to try to secure new premises in Barnsley town centre.”

Mrs Untisz said the latest business to move in, selling children’s jewellery and hair accessories, was putting the finishing touches to a two-unit space in the semi-open market area.

She also said that the open market was performing at its strongest for several years, with nine out of 10 stalls at the second-hand market held on Tuesdays occupied by sellers.

The Saturday general market also reflected what was described as “the town’s buoyant trading conditions” with 85 per cent of stalls let to traders.

Coun Linda Burgess, the authority’s development, environment and culture spokesman, said the strong figures were “an indication that Barnsley continues to buck the national trend for small independent business start-ups in the economic downturn”.

She added: “The market provides an ideal place for new businesses to gain experience.

“Let’s not forget that many of our large national companies, such as Marks & Spencer, once started from a market stall. Who knows, maybe the next multi-national will have its birthplace on Barnsley market.”

The council’s figures show that the town’s markets, which date from the 1960s, but which were originally established more than seven centuries ago, attract more than 300,000 visitors a month.

Barnsley Council has consistently said it is committed to the markets regeneration project, which is currently five years behind its original schedule.

In July, the authority’s borough secretary Andrew Frosdick said the council must continue to pursue the idea for job creation because Barnsley has a higher-than-average dependence on the shrinking public sector.

According to the council several major retailers have expressed interest in taking space in the new centre with cinema giant Odeon and clothing store H&M signing leases.

Debenhams has signed up to be the development’s anchor store.

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