(Updated 16/8/12): Despite the impending closure of Lancaster Market on Tuesday 11th September, we’re pleased to report many of the stall holders have now found new premises from which to continue trading.

Several former traders have already established themselves elsewhere in Lancaster, some a while back, such as Burts Butchers (who have been successfully trading on Market Street for a few years now), some more recently, such as Gregory’s Butchers and the last of the Market’s fishmongers, R & P Shaw, who are now both located in Marketgate. The Chinese food shop has also successfully relocated to Common Garden Street in recent months.

Here’s a list of the most recent “Market Movers”, who will take up new premises soon:

• African Caribbean Foods – will share unit in King’s Arcade with Rose and Sharon hair salon

• Barbers – Sir Simon’s Arcade (joining the picture framers who moved there some time ago)

• Bay Pets & Jesters Fancy Dress – Common Garden Street 

• Burgess Cheese – moving to Ffrances Passage 

• Gillisons Fine Leather Goods and Bag Stall – Bamboo Gardens, New Street 

• Hester’s Haberdashery – Gage Street

• Hartley Electrical Services – King Street/Sir Simon’s Arcade 

• The Terrace Cafe – New Street (taking over Lewis’ Cafe)

• NHS Stop Smoking Shop – returning to St. Nicholas’ Arcades

• The Market Cobbler – Marketgate (into the former mobile phone accessory shop)

• Polish Delicatessen – Brock Street

Sadly, not all market traders will be moving to new premises, unable to afford Lancaster’s oft-criticised business rates in comparison to Market stall rents. Carpet stall M Green and  Son, which has been trading in Lancaster for 50 years, is one casualty, as is the Balcony Bistro and KBS Trading. Chaepasmokes is still looking for a retail unit.

Cool Trader,
which was reported to be moving to Penny Street, changed its plans and
will no longer have a store in Lancaster as of  25th August 2012.

“We have scoured the town for an appropriate replacement unit and we have several options but despite our best endeavours we haven’t been able to secure a new shop yet,” Managing Director Andrew Errington told virtual-lancaster.

Although Lancaster Market is set to close at close of business on Tuesday 11th September, the town’s Charter Market will continue to trade in Market Square in Market Square and Penny Street every Wednesday and Saturday, and the Council continues to run the Assembly Rooms on King Street, originally home to some market traders who moved there after Lancaster’s original market burnt down in the 1990s.

Morecambe also has its own Festival Market, run by the Council.

There is now word as yet on which, if any, business, is likely to take over the Market building once vacated, although rumours that clothes chain Primark have expressed an interest have been circulating for some months.

• With thanks to Peter Corke, head of the Market Traders for his help compiling this list

Charter MarketLancaster MarketPeter Corke
By Uncategorized6 Comments on Lancaster Market Traders on the Move

6 Replies to “Lancaster Market Traders on the Move”

  1. As a long term supporter of increased business opportunities in our district, and of increased employment opportunities for local people, I am pleased to read Peter Corke's report that so many of the stall holders have now found new premises from which to continue trading.

    As Peter knows, it was always my hope that finding new premises would be among the solutions for the individual traders caught up in the problems arising from the City's lease of the building.

  2. Seems the info on Cool Traders move to Ethel Austins premises might be a bit premature. The staff at Ethel Austin know nothing about it, and the Manager at Cool Trader told me the deal to take on the lease was still in discussion.

  3. Thanks, "Anonymous". We published based on a list kindly supplied by Peter Corke, head of the Market Traders, and staff at Cool Traders told us they were moving into Ethel Austin. We're sorry for any confusion caused.

  4. When will the public be informed of the obscene price tax payers will have to find to extract LCC from their contractual obligations with Allied? The figure is likely to make Blobby-Gate look like loose change?

  5. The date for the closure of the market in this article is incorrect. The last day of trading will be Tuesday 11th September, with all businesses having to vacate the building by the end of Friday 14th September.

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