Ideas to transform the market
Suggestions include expansion and a food quarter
A NUMBER of new ideas are being considered to help shape the future of Loughborough market.
Charnwood Borough Council says that an independent review has put forward several ideas to help the market to continue to flourish after it was crowned Best Large Outdoor Market in Britain in January this year.
The review also considers how the ideas could benefit the town centre, by increasing footfall to surrounding businesses and improving the customer experience of not just the market, but the town centre as a whole.
Coun Jenny Bokor, lead member for Loughborough said: “We’re really proud of Loughborough market. This year it was crowned the Best Large Outdoor Market in Britain and it is popular with many residents. “However, it’s important to ensure that we continue to invest in the market and the town centre so that it continues to flourish in the future.
“The continued growth of supermarkets and an increase in online shopping has put pressure on retail markets all over the country, including Loughborough.
“The review has looked at successful mar- kets such as London’s Spitalfields to see how contemporary ideas can improve what is already an excellent market, to make sure it’s successful for years to come.
A NUMBER of new ideas are being considered to help shape the future of Loughborough market.
An independent review has put forward several ideas to help the market to continue to flourish after it was crowned Best Large Outdoor Market in Britain in January this year The ideas include: • Making the market easier to access by developing an improved layout
• Expanding the existing market into Cattle Market, Devonshire Square and Market Street to create more space for traders
• Creating an entertainment area to attract new customers to the market
• Creating a street food quarter to include outside seating for al fresco dining
• Extending the closing time of the market on occasion past 4pm
Charnwood Borough Council says that the review also considers how the ideas could benefit the town centre, by increasing footfall to surrounding businesses and improving the customer experience of not just the market, but the town centre as a whole.
Coun Jenny Bokor, lead member for Loughborough said: “We’re really proud of Loughborough market. This year it was crowned the Best Large Outdoor Market in Britain and it is popular with many residents.
“However, it’s important to ensure that we continue to invest in the market and the town centre so that it continues to flourish in the future.
“The continued growth of supermarkets and an increase in online shopping has put pressure on retail markets all over the country, including Loughborough.
“The review has looked at successful markets such as London’s Spitalfields to see how contemporary ideas can improve what is already an excellent market, to make sure it’s successful for years to come.
“We have been talking to traders and town centre businesses to help us develop the market and we will continue to work together to decide which ideas will be implemented.”
John Ashford, representative for the market traders said: “We welcome the review and looking at new ideas for the market.
“A number of them look interesting, but there are some big issues in there, such as the market layout, which need to be looked at carefully.
“We look forward to working with the council to develop the ideas so we can best benefit the market and the town centre.”
The independent market review was carried out by consultancy company Kerching.
The purpose of the review is to develop a vision for Loughborough retail market for the next five-10 years. The review also looks at the impact of the market on the town centre and its retailers.
The council says that the next steps will be to work with traders to explore the proposals and set up a working group to develop an action plan.
The independent review, which was commissioned by the Loughborough BID and supported by Charnwood Borough Council.
• To read the full report and for more information visit: www. charnwood. gov. uk/loughborough_market_review