IN THE MARKET FOR KEY £1.8M REFURBISHMENT
Stallholders back plans to revamp facility
TRADERS have welcomed plans for a £1.8 million facelift to their market – but have raised concerns over the works taking place before Christmas.
The project at Hanley Market will see improvements carried out to the public toilets while stalls will be refurbished, lighting revamped and the ceiling grid removed.
Stoke-on-trent City Council has revealed designs to stallholders to give them an idea of how the facility will look following the works and also to give them an opportunity to find out more about the proposal.
Stallholders hope the improvements will bring in more shoppers but have questioned the timing of the scheme as traders prepare for the Christmas rush.
Trader Peter Hamer, aged 62, of Newcastle, who runs Hanley Locksmiths, said: “It will initially bring more people in to look at what’s going on.
“But I don’t know of any other major retail unit in the country which would have work done before Christmas. I hope they have got a massive discount for doing it now.”
John Guess, aged 68, of Haslington, who runs Aisha Fashion Jewellery, said: “The market needs a facelift. I’ve seen the artist’s impression and it looks very nice. Whether it will bring in more customers or not, I’m not sure. I think that the work they are doing before Christmas will be OK, as long as they fence it off. It will be a problem if they are working when the customers are looking around.”
Mark Bassett, aged 59, of Birches Head, who runs Timpson’s on the market, said: “It’s got to be good, anything that brings in trade is going to help us.”
The city council says the aim of the renovations is to, ‘create an environment where traders want to operate and customers want to shop, ensuring that the market continues to be the home of successful independent businesses’.
The works to enable the renovations to take place have already begun, with the first phase planned to start before the Christmas period. The opening times and the daily operations of the market will not be affected.
Councillor Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “We have been working hard for a long time to ensure that the proposals for the refurbishment of Hanley Market are to the highest standards and will significantly improve the space and experience for both customers and traders.
“Hanley Market is a staple part of the city centre and we are determined to breathe new life into it for the benefit of the city. We are always looking for new and aspiring entrepreneurs to come and join our markets, and we hope that investing in these renovations will encourage them to come forward and see what Hanley Market has to offer.”