Market To Receive Makeover

Stall Markets in East Lindsey, including the Spilsby market held on Mondays, are set for a makeover under plans unveiled by East Lindsey District Council and there will be new opportunities for entrepreneurs.

The Council has announced a series of changes to the way the markets are run in the hope that they will become more popular with local people and visitors, whilst providing better value for money to shoppers and the wider taxpayer.

Currently Market Regulations in East Lindsey prevent competitiveness between Traders by restricting each market to only one or two types of each Trader. The Council hopes that by relaxing this restriction shoppers to the markets will have greater choice as to which stalls they buy from and that more Traders can stand. Relaxing the regulations in this way will also create new opportunities for start up businesses and entrepreneurs who wish to use the markets are a platform to sell their goods and produce.

The appearance of the markets is also set to improve and be more consistent with Traders being provided with a standard design canopy to use.

Markets will also be supported by increased promotion both in East Lindsey and further afield to draw in new visitors and on occasions there will also be street entertainment.

As part of the improvement plan the Council wants to encourage Traders to attend on a regular basis. Although there will be a change in stall prices, the first for six years, there will be an incentive for Traders to stand regularly with a 20% discount. The pricing change will mean a reduction in rent at some markets and a slight increase at others. Permanent Traders will pay £15 per day for a 10ft stall and Casual Traders £18. Previously the Council offered 8ft and 10ft stalls but all stalls will now be a standard 10ft size. There will be no further changes in stall prices until at least 2015/16.

Currently, the people living in East Lindsey subsidise the markets by £61,000 per year and the Council wants to implement these changes to ensure the markets run more efficiently and there are less empty stalls.

Portfolio Holder for the Economy, Councillor Craig Leyland, said: “When we agreed to continue running the markets ourselves in 2011, we were clear that it is important that markets play a more significant role in supporting the economy in our market towns and are run more efficiently. With the changes we’re implementing we hope to make the markets a better place to shop and a place people want to visit each week. It is really important we create new business opportunities and we hope that entrepreneurs will recognise the opportunity presented by the markets and use them as a platform to grow from. We are keen to work with the current Traders to ensure the changes can be smoothly implemented for the benefit of shoppers.”

In addition to the Spilsby Market the District Council also runs weekly stall markets in Horncastle, Louth, and Mablethorpe.