A long-term strategy to improve St Albans popular markets was reviewed by St Albans City and District Council’s Local Services Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 5 February.
The five year plan aims to increase the markets’ financial viability and contribution to the development of the City centre.
It includes proposals to boost promotion of the markets, recruit traders for products not currently sold, increase the markets’ footprints and pilot new types of market.
The St Albans Market Strategy was developed following an in-depth review of the markets with input from the cross-party Market Task and Finish Group.
The Council also used a questionnaire to seek the views of traders, who sell goods at the Wednesday and Saturday Charter Markets. The traders said that St Albans Charter Markets are good and desirable markets on which to trade. They also expressed a desire to work with the Council to make the markets even better and to try out new initiatives. Concerns raised included a need for more publicity, parking for customers and the condition of the stalls and lighting.
Members of Local Services Scrutiny Committee discussed the outcome of the consultation with traders and the Strategy to improve the markets.
They also heard that some actions have already been taken to develop the markets. These include the introduction of a food quarter at the Wednesday market and the development of the annual Christmas Market. A new management team has also been appointed.
Members made comments on the Strategy and asked for them to be passed to St Albans Market Task and Finish Group and the Community Engagement Portfolio Holder. Some members expressed concerns about the Charter Market and were pleased to see that the traders’ request for better lighting and stalls is included in the long-term financial plan. They have stressed these improvements should be given greater prominence in this programme. They also welcomed plans to explore specialist and night-time markets, but said that improvements to the Charter Market should be given priority. Members also suggested that vacant stalls on the Charter Market should be promoted to budding entrepreneurs.
Councillor Robert Donald, who stood in for the Chair of the Local Services Scrutiny Committee for St Albans City and District Council, said: “The Scrutiny Committee members welcomed the report and were pleased to see proposals for the development of the Wednesday and Saturday markets over the next five years. The market is one of the jewels in the crown that make St Albans the very special place that it is today. It plays a key role in contributing to a vibrant City centre, attracting visitors from around Hertfordshire and beyond, and providing an important income for the Council. It was worrying therefore to discover from the report that both the attendance of traders and the income from the market have declined in recent years.
“We were glad to see that traders were given the opportunity to give their views on how to improve our popular markets to prevent them declining even further. Some of their suggestions indeed mirror the proposals that have already been identified in the market review. It is crucial that these proposals are now put into action as soon as possible to ensure the market remains economically strong and attractive to residents and visitors alike.”