Council celebrates £4m revival of Burslem Market Hall

Restoration of Burslem Indoor Market Begins with £4 Million Investment

The restoration of Burslem Indoor Market has officially begun, with a significant investment of £4 million allocated to bring the historic but dilapidated market hall back into use. This Grade II listed building, which has been closed for over two decades due to safety concerns, is set to undergo essential repairs and improvements that will make it usable once again.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which owns the market hall, recently visited the site to inspect the ongoing works. The project, expected to take a year to complete, aims to ensure the building has a long-term future. Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration, emphasized the importance of the market hall to the community and expressed confidence in its potential once the works are completed.

"The market hall is so important to the people of Burslem," said Councillor Gordon-McCusker. "I'm very confident that once these works have been completed we'll be able to find meanwhile uses for the building. In terms of the long-term future, that will depend on being able to secure external support, as it's not something that the council can do on its own. But it's a priority for the council to find a long-term use for the building that's financially sustainable."

Historical Background and Closure

Burslem Indoor Market dates back to 1879 and was a key part of the local community. However, the building has been closed for more than 20 years due to safety concerns, following incidents where masonry started falling from the roof. After its closure, the building continued to deteriorate, leading to growing concerns about its future.

Funding and Project Details

In an effort to revive the market hall, cabinet members agreed to allocate £3.6 million of capital funds earlier this year, adding to the £700,000 of Levelling Up Partnership funding previously secured for the project. However, this came after Historic England withdrew £1 million of funding due to concerns that the works would not start on time and some of the planned spending being 'non-grant compliant'.

The works will include £2.6 million of essential repairs to make the building water tight and structurally sound. This will involve replacing tiles, timbers, glazing and guttering, as well as installing new safety walkways and repairing brickwork. A further £500,000 will be spent on making the market hall capable of holding pop-up markets and similar events in the short to medium term, while the council considers the building's long-term future.

This will mean installing a new electricity supply and emergency lighting, floor levelling and fire safety works. The council says that it has already had a number of expressions of interest from organisations looking to use the venue for entertainment, leisure and hospitality.

Future Plans and Timeline

It is expected that the works at Burslem Market will be completed by May 2027. To explore future uses for the building, the council has appointed consultants from Next Phase Projects. This firm has done similar work in relation to Burton Market Hall for East Staffordshire Borough Council, as well as other market buildings around the country.