Rayleigh market is thriving again (From Echo)
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Rayleigh market is thriving again
4:00am Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Rayleigh / Rochford By Emma Thomas
Thriving again – since it was relocated, Rayleigh market is really drawing customers back to the town centre
SHOPPERS are returning to a town’s market in their droves – boosting high street trade in the process.
The public is returning to Rayleigh’s market to buy cakes, bread, and fruit and veg from the stallholders who have been moved to the heart of the town.
The market – which is mentioned as far back as 1181 and is the second oldest in the country behind Colchester – was previously held in the car park at the top of the High Street, but dwindling trade led the town council to take it over and move it to its new location in the taxi rank outside Boots.
It is hoped the market will bring more people into the town and help support the High Street.
It was officially relaunced with the booming voice of the town crier and it is hoped the shopping buzz will continue.
Trevor Day, 49, who has a stall selling household goods, has been one of the driving forces behind getting the market set up.
He said: “I have been working on market stalls for 28 years. It has declined, but the idea of this maket being here is to regenerate the whole area. Everybody from every shop, even the banks, have said Wednesdays are their busiest day now.”
The market moved just before Christmas and due to its success there is already a waiting list of 50 traders.
The news is a boost to the local economy and follows a report by retail expert Mary Portas last month, which called for a national market day as part of a 28-point plan to revitalise high streets.
Peter Cooper, 82, of Shannon Avenue, Rayleigh, had popped to the market to buy some fruit and veg.
He said: “I think it is very good, better than the one at the other end. I would say it has brought more people to the High Street. I come down for everything, in general.”
Rayleigh town councillor Dave Sperring says the interest could see the market get even bigger.
He said: “The footfall has been better than we could have hoped.
“I have had nothing but positive responses. We do have the scope to enlarge the market, which we will certainly be considering, but we wanted to form a nucleus first to make sure the market had a heart.”
Mark Francois, MP for Rayleigh and Wickford, said: “The old market up by the civic suite was getting a bit tired and by bringing it down in the middle of the High Street, it makes the market more prominent. You can see by the number of people here how popular it is.”
The market is open every Wednesday from 8am until 2pm.
Comments(14)
APR
says...
10:38am Sat 7 Jan 12
It's difficult to see how they can accommodate more stalls, unless they use the other side of the road. Or close one lane of the high street.
SARFENDMAN
says...
11:37am Sat 7 Jan 12
APR wrote:Think they have earmarked a few areas which now well might be used.
It has already brought some life back into the high street, long may it continue.
It's difficult to see how they can accommodate more stalls, unless they use the other side of the road. Or close one lane of the high street.
The Rothschild Cowgirl
says...
10:06pm Sat 7 Jan 12
APR
says...
11:29pm Sat 7 Jan 12
The Rothschild Cowgirl wrote:Yes, getting back (hopefully) to what it was 50yrs ago.
This is definately a lot better than the old market. Probably the best in the area now.
heartbeat
says...
12:59am Mon 9 Jan 12
When they kept trying to get people to visit the stalls in York Road no-one seemed to mention the hazard involved in trying to cross that awful piece of road where the bus station and traffic lights cause people to fling themselves into the road like lemmings to try and get across! I've only ever dared cross it a few times since it was built but each time I've seen people dithering about and unsure of when to cross. Gawd help anyone elderly or with kids in buggies etc... no wonder no-one shopped at the market, too much of a pain getting crossing the road to it.
Apart from the diabolical road layout problem, it was also too far away from the shops to make a detour specially to see what was there. Relocate the market up to the middle of the shopping precinct to get more people up there. If the parking fees were less too lots of people would flood back to Southend, more shops would open paying more rates, employing more people etc. Sorted!
alimac69
says...
10:42am Tue 10 Jan 12
rayleightown
says...
12:07pm Tue 10 Jan 12
westcliff willi
says...
2:55pm Tue 10 Jan 12
rayleightown wrote:where is rayleigh?. .. IF southend needs a market the only place it can go is in the large empty space outside the odeon and vic shopping center
The reason nobody goes to Southend market is because its in Southend.
Audioman
says...
3:27pm Tue 10 Jan 12
LondonLass25
says...
6:42pm Tue 10 Jan 12
westcliff willi wrote:Where is Rayleigh? Lacking in geographical knowledge is bad enough, but being unable to use basic punctuation and spelling is inexcusable. Then again, you are from Westcliff ...
rayleightown wrote: The reason nobody goes to Southend market is because its in Southend.where is rayleigh?. .. IF southend needs a market the only place it can go is in the large empty space outside the odeon and vic shopping center
Brunning999
says...
7:30pm Tue 10 Jan 12
bong74
says...
1:43pm Tue 24 Jan 12
APR
says...
10:34am Mon 30 Jan 12
bong74 wrote:How would lorries and buses get through ?
What they should do is close the road between crown hill, and up to the church, only on that day, so you can have more stalls, and the freedom to walk anywhere without getting hit by a car!!
SARFENDMAN says...
7:25am Sat 7 Jan 12
The Market Organisers, Stall Holders, Shoppers and Rayleigh Town Council especially can all take a bow.