Lincoln’s Refurbished Cornhill Market Defended Amidst Vacancies Six Months Post-Reopening

The City of Lincoln Council has offered a defense of Cornhill Market, half a year following its reopening subsequent to a multi-million pound renovation. Despite the £7m expenditure, finalized in May, the structure continues to feature unoccupied units. The council has verified that five stalls are presently vacant and stated it is “working really hard” to secure tenants for them. This comes after assertions from former stallholders who claimed that the expenses associated with operating within the premises were “unsustainable”. The council, which initially unveiled the project in 2021, faced criticism from these previous traders, who expressed feeling “erased” from the market’s heritage. The BBC conducted interviews with shoppers at the location, with numerous individuals describing their experience as “disappointing”. David Brown, 75, commented: “I find it a little bit depressing that there are so many stalls that aren’t utilised at the moment.” He added, “It just seems to be missing something.” Conversely, Freya Barker and Katie Nemeth offered more favorable assessments, characterizing the market as “quite good”. Ms Barker stated: “I think it could be a lot fuller, but for what it is it’s quite nice.” Julie Markham, a resident of Louth, remarked: “It’s a bit disappointing. Not all the units are full up.” She conveyed to the BBC her belief that it would be “a lot better if there were more traders in there.” Councillor Joshua Wells, who holds the portfolio for inclusive economic growth, asserted that the site currently possesses “more stalls occupied than there used to be in the old market”. He added: “We’re working with businesses, and putting on events in the market as well to try and drive footfall in to support the businesses that are here.” He further emphasized: “We’re actively working with other stall holders to fill those spaces, it’s not like it’s been forgotten about. We are working hard to fill those spaces.” The council indicated that the procedure for approving and vetting prospective tenants can be time-consuming, but maintained that it was “the right thing for the council and the right thing for businesses.” Will Morris, co-owner of La Bella Di Casa, a traditional Italian Ice Cream company that manufactures its products in the city centre, expressed confidence that the stalls would soon be occupied. He stated: “They’re empty now but what we’re told by the council is that there’s always people applying.” He continued: “It just takes a little bit of time to really get it all smoothed out.” Verena Hanley, proprietor of Fabric Tattoos Embroidery, noted that the majority of visitors depart with a “positive impression” of the market. She further commented: “Two businesses have already grown past being here within six months. They’ve been able to close and open up their own places.” She concluded: “That’s exactly what the market was for; it’s for small businesses to get a foothold in the community. Build their brand, build customers and move on to the next bigger thing.” Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.