Rotherham’s new Market Hall opens this week - the first phase of a £46.8m redevelopment project in the town centre.
Lead contractors on behalf of Rotherham Council, Henry Boot Construction are putting the finishing touches to the Drummond Street site whilst traders from the indoor market temporarily move into the brand new space.
Alongside a new modern central library, the redevelopment of the markets is divided into two areas, an outdoor covered market, which is being rebuilt, and an adjacent indoor market, which is being revamped.
Paul from P&P Cobbler & Keys, said: "I'm a shoe repairer and key cutter. I can pretty much put my hand to anything. Done it for years, to be honest, since I left school. And here I am today!
"This building has been open since 1971, and it's tired. It's old. It's an old building. It's been a great building. I've been here since 1985 and I think having a new building is good. It's going to be great. Most important to me is that we move forward. I think that's going to be a breath of fresh air that we need. Come down, check the place out."
Andy, from Joe's Butchers, added: "Personally, I've been in market 28 years. We pride ourselves in a lot of home-produced things and try and produce the best quality meats we can, at an affordable price. People do come to us on a regular basis, which I'm very grateful for. We have a bit of a laugh and a joke and things like that. If you're in a supermarket, you look on shelves, you pick things up, chuck it in your trolley, and away you go. They just lack the personal touch.
"When we move into new market, the the main entrance is going to be on Drummond Street, which is straight across from Rotherham College. It's got nice steps leading down into it, landscaped gardens, and a big open space outside. It's going to be all singing, all dancing, all looking nice. We're all moving up there, all brand new stalls, clean, tidy, and all we need is the customers to follow us, which I'm sure they will."
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James from Milk from the Hills is a relative newcomer to Rotherham Markets. He said: "We sell milk and milkshakes directly from the farm. The younger generation love it because they've never had it before. They're used to supermarket milk, which is homogenized, quite highly processed, and the older generation love it because it reminds them of what they used to have, when the cream used to rise to the top of the bottle.
"We could see what was happening with Rotherham Market, the investment that was being put in, the rejuvenation of the market. So, we thought, you know what? We'll play the long game and get involved from the very beginning. A new space, a fresher space to bring, well, the youth back into the market again and rejuvenate it is pretty much essential now. Quite proud to be part of it, to be honest."
Hash from Hash's Mobile Phones And Accessories, is one of the longest serving traders at Rotherham Market. He said: "We do repairs. We sell the full range of accessories. We sell phones. We deal in tablets, iPads. I think in a market hall, I think you become a family. That's the reason we don't leave the market. A very friendly atmosphere, I personally think. We offer a good service. I know people put us down because they think we're just market traders and just small businesses, but I think they get a better service from us than the the bigger shops.
"Keep supporting us, keep coming. We'll keep doing what we can do."
With the entrance facing Rotherham College, access is through a new outdoor space where a number of market stalls will be based. A temporary mobility access entrance will also be available on Henry Street opposite Tesco, and clear signage will help residents, shoppers and families find their way.
Parking is available nearby, including three hours free in Tesco, and up to one-hour free parking, Monday to Friday, in the Drummond Street car park operated by Rotherham Council, which also offers free parking in all its off-street car parks on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Rotherham Council's latest timetable has the library planning to open later this year with the indoor market completing in Autumn 2027.
Rotherham Markets website
Images: Tom Austen / RMBC
Lead contractors on behalf of Rotherham Council, Henry Boot Construction are putting the finishing touches to the Drummond Street site whilst traders from the indoor market temporarily move into the brand new space.
Alongside a new modern central library, the redevelopment of the markets is divided into two areas, an outdoor covered market, which is being rebuilt, and an adjacent indoor market, which is being revamped.
Paul from P&P Cobbler & Keys, said: "I'm a shoe repairer and key cutter. I can pretty much put my hand to anything. Done it for years, to be honest, since I left school. And here I am today!
"This building has been open since 1971, and it's tired. It's old. It's an old building. It's been a great building. I've been here since 1985 and I think having a new building is good. It's going to be great. Most important to me is that we move forward. I think that's going to be a breath of fresh air that we need. Come down, check the place out."
"When we move into new market, the the main entrance is going to be on Drummond Street, which is straight across from Rotherham College. It's got nice steps leading down into it, landscaped gardens, and a big open space outside. It's going to be all singing, all dancing, all looking nice. We're all moving up there, all brand new stalls, clean, tidy, and all we need is the customers to follow us, which I'm sure they will."
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James from Milk from the Hills is a relative newcomer to Rotherham Markets. He said: "We sell milk and milkshakes directly from the farm. The younger generation love it because they've never had it before. They're used to supermarket milk, which is homogenized, quite highly processed, and the older generation love it because it reminds them of what they used to have, when the cream used to rise to the top of the bottle.
"We could see what was happening with Rotherham Market, the investment that was being put in, the rejuvenation of the market. So, we thought, you know what? We'll play the long game and get involved from the very beginning. A new space, a fresher space to bring, well, the youth back into the market again and rejuvenate it is pretty much essential now. Quite proud to be part of it, to be honest."
"Keep supporting us, keep coming. We'll keep doing what we can do."
With the entrance facing Rotherham College, access is through a new outdoor space where a number of market stalls will be based. A temporary mobility access entrance will also be available on Henry Street opposite Tesco, and clear signage will help residents, shoppers and families find their way.
Parking is available nearby, including three hours free in Tesco, and up to one-hour free parking, Monday to Friday, in the Drummond Street car park operated by Rotherham Council, which also offers free parking in all its off-street car parks on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
Rotherham Council's latest timetable has the library planning to open later this year with the indoor market completing in Autumn 2027.
Rotherham Markets website
Images: Tom Austen / RMBC
I've already had chance to go in and it's looking great.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe for one second that it'll be a temporary move though. The council will scrap the plans to refurbish to indoor market that has just closed, the money has already run out. This will be permanent despite what they say.
Such a positive article and the traders featured are clearly on board so why do you feed the need to comment with such negativity?
DeleteNot all the traders are on board, it's been forced upon them. The whole move has been a farce so far, so badly organised you wouldn't believe.
DeleteThe refurb of the old indoor market will never happen, that isn't being negative, it's just being realistic. Although I really hope you can come on here in Autumn 2027 and tell me how wrong I was.
Just been into the new hall and was very impressed with the range of vendors.All units seem to be taken and the place was very busy.A bit like the Rotherham of yesteryear.Once the new library opens footfall in that area of town will be very healthy indeed.Well done Rotherham Council.
ReplyDeleteOverheard one bloke saying to his mate that it was a waste of money as there were only stalls in the place. Yes, strange that, a market just having stalls.Whatever next. A library full of books? Some people just want to knock the town for the sake of it.
ReplyDeleteAll the traders seemed happy now that they are settled in. Great to see.
ReplyDeleteAt last, something to really enthuse about in Rotherham.Just wait for the Barnsley brigade to start posting.negative nonsense
DeleteI think this will be a roaring success
ReplyDeleteA relative of mine is a trader and they’ve said it’s been full of people moaning that it’s not very good and Barnsley’s is better.
ReplyDeleteSome people don’t seem to know what Temporary means.
Most Rotherham people have never heard of Barnsley or it's market
DeleteYou talk a load of inbred Barnsley tosh
ReplyDeleteThis is clearly a spurious post from a Barnsley person
ReplyDeleteCan I make a suggestion to all those Barnsley people who are addicted to a Rotherham blog? Get a life!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what Freud would make of the Barnsley wannabees
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all those involved in bringing this project to fruition.
ReplyDeleteMy first time in Rotherham for a while.Just popped over to see the market and what all the fuss was about. Impressed! I wish Barnsley:s was as good.
ReplyDeleteI greatly admire Barnsley market for the simple reason that it is the only market selling over the counter whippets.
ReplyDeleteApparently two traders have handed their notice in already as the opening week has been a disaster. A lot of people complaining about the access and the number of steps.
ReplyDeleteThis is not the view of traders I have spoken to and most people recognise that the access issues will be sorted once all the work has been completed. I wonder why some posters only make negative comments all the time.
DeleteBecause that’s what the traders I’ve spoken to have told me, are you calling me a liar?
DeleteYou only have to look at comments on all the market social media posts that most people don’t realise the access issues will eventually be sorted.
To be fair I don't think anyone is calling you a liar. But they may be thinking that you only emphasise negatives and never mention positives.Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteIt's the only thing I've posted!
DeleteAre you calling me negative?
ReplyDelete