Scarborough’s market hall to undergo £2.7m transformation

£2.7m is to be spent on signficantly refurbishing Scarborough’s historic market hall.

Partners in the project want shoppers, stallholders, local businesses and residents to help in the process of creating a new market for the town.

Consultations regarding the plans have already begun, and people will be asked their opinion on enhancing the market, what they would like to see there and what would attract them to shop.

Councillor Bill Chatt, Scarborough Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Public Health and Housing, said: “This is the first step in the exciting creation of a new market for Scarborough. “It is vital that everyone who has an interest – be they stallholders, local residents or local shoppers – has an opportunity to give their views on what they want from their local market.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a new, vibrant market. Somewhere to shop, meet up and enjoy, right in the heart of Scarborough. We want everyone to seize the chance to be a part of it.”

Scarborough Borough Council and the University of Hull are partners in the transformation project, made possible due to a £2.7m grant from the Coastal Communities Fund, administered by the Big Lottery Fund.

The historic market building is to get a complete makeover, during which a new mezzanine floor will be added, to create space for new shops, offices and a café. The physical alterations will be joined by two exciting online projects.

The University of Hull is creating an online market, a virtual Scarborough market on a single website, with lots of different traders but one pay point. The university is also creating an online market intelligence system, which will be act as a source of data and analysis of key trends and influences on the local business environment.

This will aim to help current business owners or anyone considering setting up a business in and around Scarborough.