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| Image courtesy Lancaster City Council |
Lancaster City Council’s Cabinet has agreed the future layout of the city’s historic Charter Market which will hopefully meet with approval from both town centre businesses and Charter Market stall holders.
On Tuesday Cabinet members were asked to consider options for the layout of the market following the completion of the city centre improvement works. The aim is to provide the market in such a way as to make the city centre an attractive and vibrant place, take account of other users and achieve high standards.
Two potential layouts were presented for consideration and Cabinet members opted for a layout which sees the market retain its current footprint of Market Street, Market Square and Cheapside and two stalls will be added on Market Street.
All existing permanent traders will still be able to trade from pitches within this footprint.
There will be no restriction on the type of goods sold in Market Square but stalls given pitches will be expected to be presented to a high standard.
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| Jon Barry: “Traders can get back to selling their wares – hopefully with a degree of security about the future.” |
Overall the council says it expects all stalls to be of a good appearance and pitches be left neat and tidy in order to complement the new look for the city centre.
To expand the market, new traders will be allocated pitches on Church Street or New Street if there are none vacant elsewhere. These would be offered free for an initial period to encourage take-up.
The new layout will be monitored and may be altered if necessary.
“I’m glad that the debate about the argument is finally over and traders can get back to selling their wares – hopefully with a degree of security about the future,” says Councillor Jon Barry, Cabinet member with responsibility for markets.
“The outdoor market is a jewel in Lancaster’s crown and I am glad that the Cabinet has recognised this.”
In addition to the layout of the Charter Market it was agreed to increase prices for pitches on Market St, Market Square and Cheapside from £1.35 sq/m to £1.50 sq/m, with a minimum charge of £16, from April 2015. This is a reduction from the one originally proposed.