Kirkgate Market, can it survive?

anthonydna · Post by **anthonydna** » Fri 29 Jul, 2011 1:52 pm

It raises a number of questions , for which I don't claim to have the answer !Firstly, how busy is it ? It often seems busy when I go there, but compared with a fifty lane Tesco with people constantly queueing to pay 50-100 pounds each ? If it was truly well used and busy presumably it wouldn't need "saving" The rents are presumably only "too high" because the stall-holders are taking too little money. The cost of maintaining a building such as the market must be 10 times the cost of maintaining a Tesco like "barn".It also seems that people have moved away from this type of shopping, superior an experience as I think it is, its very hard to compete against the pure convenience of pulling up in your car, parking for free and being guaranteed you can get everything you need in one go.It clearly needs to reinvent itself, the non-food aspect of the market seems to be peculiar to the UK, most of the markets in Europe I've been to seem to be split, food, generally high quality and fantastically presented, certainly not cheap but good value, and the flea type non-food markets, often just held in the street. I can't see how a stall/shop selling second hand DVDs or Phone covers could ever generate enough income to support the rent.It must be saved in some form though, it's a huge asset to Leeds.

DOBBO · Post by **DOBBO** » Fri 29 Jul, 2011 8:43 pm

I have always liked to see busy markets which sell a broad range of goods which are what the normal person would buy in the course of daily life but having been in the market twice last week (on the way from Liverpool to Newcastle and returning to Bournemouth I can't see a future for it unless you want a phone unlocking or need nail and hair extentions.Grainger Market in Newcastle is perfect and if you're up there take a look - it even has a Marks & Spencer stall selling their end of line stuff - fabulous market and actually a fabulous city

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Fri 29 Jul, 2011 9:09 pm

I've thought long and hard about this and I'm struggling to see a way the market can survive in it's current form.IMHO, the council started the slow lingering death when they took away the cheap outdoor parking and sold off the site for the NCP multi-storey and the extended coach station. If the parking on the Union Street site goes (which it is planned to as part of Eastgate Quarter), then there will be no "cheap" parking for the markets customers.The ridiculous fares charged on buses mean that it's cheaper for people to get a taxi to their local Tesco / Asda / etc, rather than traipse into town.Maybe the top half of the market can survive (not just the Edwardian section) with a bit of imagination and strict control over what the stalls sell, but I don't know.

liits · Post by **liits** » Fri 29 Jul, 2011 9:49 pm

I think that raveydavey may be right about the parking thing and also to corroborate what DOBBO says about Newcastle’s Granger Market. To park all day in Newcastle is around £5 per day. Actually, after 5.30, it’s free and there are no shortage of spaces. The [Grainger] market is a great place and with the exception of two stalls [that I saw] every stall was open and trading. No tat mobile phone stalls, or smoking accoutrements / borderline drugs paraphernalia. A quality venue that puts Leeds to same. If it wasn’t so damn far, I’d do my shopping there.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Sat 30 Jul, 2011 11:21 am

£4 for 5 hours on Quarry Hill. (My experience of Newcastle is that you can't get a parking spcae.)

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Sat 30 Jul, 2011 12:56 pm

The toilets in the market are very convenient (pun partly intended ). If the market gets redeveloped I hope some new public toilets are built in the centre of Leeds.

tuskey · Post by **tuskey** » Sat 30 Jul, 2011 1:27 pm

it's the council being greedy again, it's them who want the market to close down, after all these years, it's a part of leeds history and the markets should be saved, come what may.

anthonydna · Post by **anthonydna** » Sun 31 Jul, 2011 12:14 am

I'd be very surprised if the council make a penny out of the market. I don't think that this is a case of greed.

keyholekate · Post by **keyholekate** » Wed 11 Jan, 2012 6:53 pm

I went in the market today. . .it cost a fiver bus fare .I bought what looked like some lovely minty lamb chops on a tray wrapped with cling film.When I opened them to cook they were strips of meat pushed together in the shape of a chop.I so hate been "done"

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Wed 11 Jan, 2012 7:22 pm

I've been 'had' like that in there:- lovely display, put duffers in the bag from behind. Ken Morrison never did that to me.There's part of a Carry on Film reminds me of Leeds Market.If you can be bothered to watch it, it's near the end at 0.58 after "sweet isis".http://youtu.be/0VQT474p6es