Making plans for Bury Market – our jewel in the crown

Council leaders are formulating ambitious improvement plans to keep Bury Market as the jewel in Bury’s crown.

A range of short-term and long-term options is being drawn up to put the famous market, which dates back to the 1440s, at the forefront of the town centre’s regeneration.

Councillor David Jones, leader of Bury Council, said:“Bury Market is one of our greatest assets and contributes hugely to the success of our town centre, attracting visitors from across the land and winning numerous national awards.

“Like markets and town centres across the country, though, our market has to face the challenges of online shopping, and changes to the type of stores on the high street which are increasingly selling products traditionally sold on markets.

“The outbreak of Covid-19 is also likely to have major ramifications on the economy, which could have a significant impact on the market. It is vital that, as we emerge from the lockdown, the market is best placed to flourish in the months and years to come.”

At its cabinet meeting on Wednesday (13 May), councillors will be asked to approve spending £50,000 on developing further a masterplan for the market and the town centre as a whole.

An all-party group of councillors was set up last year to look at all options for the market, in particular how it could attract investment and how it could evolve to meet changing demand while not alienating its existing customer base.

The task group looked at a wide range of issues: occupancy rates, rents, visitor numbers, customer profiles, range of goods offered, the market’s public image, and its role as a tourist attraction. All market traders were invited to attend the meetings of the task group.

The task group also worked with Leeds University which is undertaking a nationally funded research programme on markets. Bury Market is one of three case studies to underpin their research.

Long-term options:

The reports to cabinet highlight the need for the council to consider a much bigger and more strategic intervention.

The current market operates on a constrained site with some of the poorest buildings in the town centre. There is an opportunity to work in partnership with the owners of the Mill Gate centre to seek to remodel the wider markets area, including the market offices and the retail parade.

The report proposes a multi-use ‘Flexi Hall’ which would provide an enhanced visitor experience on market days but would be explicitly designed to be a seven day a week cultural, food and entertainment venue.

This development would be adjacent to the Interchange site, which itself will be subject to major redevelopment. The combination of sites gives the potential for the transformative level change that would help secure central Bury’s economic foundation for the long-term.

Shorter term options

Shorter term possibilities identified by the task group include:

• To build/re-establish the Market Traders Association.
• Investigate a reduction in, or free, parking charges after 3pm on market days.
• Seek marketing opportunities that appeal to a wider audience and to do collaborative offers across the market.
• Review trading days, for example having a shorter trading day but increasing market days
• Linking in with the events held during Bury’s year as the first Greater Manchester Town of Culture.
• Internet access for traders. Investigate options outside of the town centre full fibre roll out and the cost of wi-fi on the market.

ENDS

Press release issued: 12 May 2020.