Kirkgate Market, can it survive?

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Sun 19 Sep, 2010 12:51 am

Cardiarms wrote: Geordie-exile wrote: The building must survive but not as a market.It's such a magnificent structure, it should become a star in its own right. I'd love it if LCC thought BIG. Some piddling displays or tourist information guff wouldn't cut it. What about a new Tate Gallery based there? A theatre in the round? A Beamish style Victorian era attraction? It is a star and its amarket. It's been onthat site or around for 1000 years and it shouldn't be swept away to prettofy or pamper to fickle leisure interests. "Ook across the road at the corn exchange and be warned! I don't think I suggested it be 'swept away'. I take your point about the Corn Exchange but I'd have suggested similar solutions there. LCC appears to have no vision when it comes to imaginative solutions. These magnificent 'spaces' need to be adapted for a modern audience. There's a huge appetite for this sort of thing among weekend break tourists.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Sun 19 Sep, 2010 1:04 am

All the good shops and stalls have long gone.Remember Scarrs - they sold all sorts of stuff,Redmans salmonpaste,Tobins shoes,butchers row is a shadow of its former self.Stallholders have complained about the management 'style'for yonks but nobody on the council stood up for them.Another case of this once great city getting what it deserves dueto complacancy.

keyholekate · Post by **keyholekate** » Sun 19 Sep, 2010 2:02 am

http://www.markettraderforum.co.uk/view ... 2&t=23This makes interesting reading.

beast · Post by **beast** » Sun 19 Sep, 2010 4:09 pm

Would it not be a good idea to completely close the bottom part of the market,rehouse the traders up on the balconies in the much nicer top end ( on fair rents of course ) thats probably too obvious to LCC though.

anthonydna · Post by **anthonydna** » Sun 19 Sep, 2010 4:55 pm

There is only the top bit thats worth saving, the temporary bit is and always was awful. I was at this market in Madrid last year. Something like this could really extend the Victoria Quarter.http://www.spottedbylocals.com/madrid/m ... miguel/Not sure anyone in Leeds would put there hand in their pocket though. Probably too fancy and catering to "yuppies". Is there another model in the UK for markets that really work outside of London?I'm talking myself out of it being a good idea!

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 19 Sep, 2010 5:05 pm

beast wrote: Would it not be a good idea to completely close the bottom part of the market,rehouse the traders up on the balconies in the much nicer top end ( on fair rents of course ) thats probably too obvious to LCC though. But what is a fair rent? Whatever we feel, it should cover the (very high) costs of maintaining and running the building with all the hiden cost people rarely consider - which has to be weighed against how much the public would be prepared to have contributed as a subsidy, bearing in mind that everyone in the municipality would be contributing. You can be sure that for every person in favour, there will be those who are not and would prefer to see money going elsewhere.A rather crude analogy (and I am not trying to draw a comparrison) is the situation with the dwindling local pubs - the bottom line is that something will only survive if it is supported by the populous - if they are not willing to spend there, it ceases to be viable.There are other considerations too - I also remember the likes of Scars and Murphys, the touting of the crockery man (Did anyone ever see him drop a tea set thrown in the air during the banter?). But all these things can be bought at similar prices elsewhere than the market, (In particular, places like the growing empire of 'Pound Shops' for many small day to day items) without the high cost of travelling to town - that has to be added to the prices we pay - and as is the case if folk are really honest, the convenience of not going into town.The things which and prosper and survive are those which have the majority support so as much as I would hope my memories of the mrket will persist as real in today's world, we are the minority in the bigger picture. You will never be rid of our giant shopping chains because that IS where the vast majority take their money and their trade.

Post by **mhoulden** » Mon 20 Sep, 2010 1:59 am

I posted one of the comments on the Guardian article. Basically, having rent reductions and such like for existing traders do need to be part of the plan, but you do need to find a way of getting new people in and spending money to keep it going as well. It could have the foodie stuff that they wanted in the Corn Exchange, for example. Having one stall surrounded by several empties can look pretty depressing, so another idea might be to consolidate them all in one place. It might be a bit smaller but having everything in one place means each stall has more people going past and makes the place feel a bit more alive. I also like the idea of having a section set up like Afflecks Palace in Manchester. The landlords of the Corn Exchange seriously messed up when they evicted all the independent traders and I think it would make sense to have somewhere for them. What does the market offer that pound shops and supermarkets do not, and what could it offer that they do not? At least it's nowhere near as run down as the Merrion Market.

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Mon 20 Sep, 2010 8:54 am

Bury Market is quite good. The only similar one to Leeds but not nearlly as big. It does tout itself as the "World Famous Bury Market" but I hadn't heard of it until I met my mrs!Leeds might get some ideas from here as it seems always to be rammed when I go! - Why cant we get some accolades like it gets?!?!?http://www.burymarket.com/default2.asp

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Mon 20 Sep, 2010 10:34 am

http://kirkgatemarket.wordpress.com/

tilly · Post by **tilly** » Mon 20 Sep, 2010 8:30 pm

Dewsbury Market seems to be doing ok every time i go it has plenty of people shopping there.