Workmen move in to demolish market

5:00pm Friday 23rd April 2010 in Southend By Emma Thomas

Traders outside York Road Market Traders outside York Road Market

YORK Road market is being demolished – from the inside out.

Workmen have moved in to the Victorian market in Southend and are knocking down internal walls and have removed the roof.

The market was closed in October last year amid health and safety fears and in January councillors voted to demolish the market.

Fed up traders near the market said they were pleased something was being done.

James Taylor, of Taylor and Son Jewellers, said trade had suffered because people were put off by the eyesore.

He said: “I understand the main thing that is holding up the progress is turning off the supplies, like the electricity. The phone lines were taken out about a month ago. Once it’s gone, it should be a lot better.

“They are trying to do as much as they can at the moment without doing anything structural.

“They are really just taking out the windows and the roof down. They can’t move any real machinery in but there is a digger round the back.

“We are looking positive for this summer for trading.”

Neset Koch, owner of Royal Fish and Chips, in York Road, agreed that the derelict building had a negative impact on the area.

He said: “Nobody is coming down here because the market is gone. At the end of the day we all have to pay rates and council tax. It is really, really hard.

“All of the shop owners will be glad because people can at least see our shops.

“The view looks horrible. It is not attractive. You know the saying ‘out of sight out of mind’? This is our problem.”

Labour councillor Stephen George opposed the decision made by the council.

He said: “I would rather have seen it saved. We suggested it be turned into an art and cultural centre, providing shops and workshops for local artists.

“It is a pity, because it is part of Southend’s history.

“I suspect once it is demolished it will be converted into car parking and although the traders might welcome the decision, I think in the long term it would have been better if they had done something to attract more people.”

Sally Holland, Southend council’s corporate director of support services, confirmed demolition work on York Road market had commenced.

She said: “Preparatory work for the demolition of the market began on Tuesday last week.

“At this stage our contractors are only taking down internal structures and removing fixtures and fittings.

“Actual demolition work is due to start next week and is anticipated to take several weeks.”

Comments (13)

6:09pm Fri 23 Apr 10

Max Impact says...

Expected and sad but it was in very poor condition and a bit of an eye sore hopefully with it gone things will improve the the retailers n the other side of the road
Expected and sad but it was in very poor condition and a bit of an eye sore hopefully with it gone things will improve the the retailers n the other side of the road Max Impact

6:21pm Fri 23 Apr 10

Iron Mighty says...

Max Impact wrote:
Expected and sad but it was in very poor condition and a bit of an eye sore hopefully with it gone things will improve the the retailers n the other side of the road
I quite agree with you. I do hope that the council finds a more imaginative use for the vacant space than more car parking spaces, though, preferably something which will kick-start the gentrification of the town centre end of York Road.
[quote][p][bold]Max Impact[/bold] wrote: Expected and sad but it was in very poor condition and a bit of an eye sore hopefully with it gone things will improve the the retailers n the other side of the road[/p][/quote]I quite agree with you. I do hope that the council finds a more imaginative use for the vacant space than more car parking spaces, though, preferably something which will kick-start the gentrification of the town centre end of York Road. Iron Mighty

6:28pm Fri 23 Apr 10

SARFENDMAN says...

Seems the well proven way of turning a heritage building into an eyesore by running it down and letting it decay is sure way to get rid of it with public backing.
What's sad here that Southend Council speaks with forked tongue. On one hand it wants to see an antique "lane" type market as seen in places like Brighton yet the ready made one here is demolished. The other sad fact is that the landlords of this market was indeed the Council themselves who acted shodidly in their maintainence of the market. Seems also that the Council preaches conservation but appear hollow words. No great surprise to those who have witnessed the town's building heritage disappear steadily over the years.
Seems the well proven way of turning a heritage building into an eyesore by running it down and letting it decay is sure way to get rid of it with public backing. What's sad here that Southend Council speaks with forked tongue. On one hand it wants to see an antique "lane" type market as seen in places like Brighton yet the ready made one here is demolished. The other sad fact is that the landlords of this market was indeed the Council themselves who acted shodidly in their maintainence of the market. Seems also that the Council preaches conservation but appear hollow words. No great surprise to those who have witnessed the town's building heritage disappear steadily over the years. SARFENDMAN

6:43pm Fri 23 Apr 10

radioman says...

I quite agree with the above, but "shodidly" sounds a bit ken doddidly.
I quite agree with the above, but "shodidly" sounds a bit ken doddidly. radioman

7:00pm Fri 23 Apr 10

ThorpeAgent says...

Truly the end of an era, I loved going into York Road market for so many reasons, checking out Gumbis, the Sci fi store which sold Star Wars figures, the cafe, the card shop and more recently the New Age shops.
Truly the end of an era, I loved going into York Road market for so many reasons, checking out Gumbis, the Sci fi store which sold Star Wars figures, the cafe, the card shop and more recently the New Age shops. ThorpeAgent

8:37pm Fri 23 Apr 10

SARFENDMAN says...

radioman wrote:
I quite agree with the above, but "shodidly" sounds a bit ken doddidly.
You're dead right! The Diddymen strike again.
[quote][p][bold]radioman[/bold] wrote: I quite agree with the above, but "shodidly" sounds a bit ken doddidly.[/p][/quote]You're dead right! The Diddymen strike again. SARFENDMAN

9:24pm Fri 23 Apr 10

Southendman says...

Yet again Anna Waite 'the wicked witch of the east' has won again! Her and her corrupt council colleagues are truly the vilest people ever to have drew breath in the civic centre.
Yet again Anna Waite 'the wicked witch of the east' has won again! Her and her corrupt council colleagues are truly the vilest people ever to have drew breath in the civic centre. Southendman

9:30pm Fri 23 Apr 10

perini says...

Southendman wrote:
Yet again Anna Waite 'the wicked witch of the east' has won again! Her and her corrupt council colleagues are truly the vilest people ever to have drew breath in the civic centre.
Too true - trees cut down early on weekend mornings - now demolitions from the inside - how low can this piece of detritus stoop? When will she think that enough is enough?
[quote][p][bold]Southendman[/bold] wrote: Yet again Anna Waite 'the wicked witch of the east' has won again! Her and her corrupt council colleagues are truly the vilest people ever to have drew breath in the civic centre.[/p][/quote]Too true - trees cut down early on weekend mornings - now demolitions from the inside - how low can this piece of detritus stoop? When will she think that enough is enough? perini

2:43am Sat 24 Apr 10

emcee says...

Southendman wrote:
Yet again Anna Waite 'the wicked witch of the east' has won again! Her and her corrupt council colleagues are truly the vilest people ever to have drew breath in the civic centre.
AW is indeed Southends worst nightmare but I have to agree that York Road market was an absolute eyesore and needed to go. It was not financially viable to renovate/modernise it as it was beyond that sort of repair. We really should be blaming those who let it get into such a state 20, 30, 40 (or more) years ago.
[quote][p][bold]Southendman[/bold] wrote: Yet again Anna Waite 'the wicked witch of the east' has won again! Her and her corrupt council colleagues are truly the vilest people ever to have drew breath in the civic centre.[/p][/quote]AW is indeed Southends worst nightmare but I have to agree that York Road market was an absolute eyesore and needed to go. It was not financially viable to renovate/modernise it as it was beyond that sort of repair. We really should be blaming those who let it get into such a state 20, 30, 40 (or more) years ago. emcee

9:06am Sat 24 Apr 10

jayman says...

demolished from the inside out!! must be a election coming up. they where probably going to leave it until after but the cat is out the bag now so they had to come clean.
demolished from the inside out!! must be a election coming up. they where probably going to leave it until after but the cat is out the bag now so they had to come clean. jayman

6:11pm Sat 24 Apr 10

NickS says...

jayman wrote:
demolished from the inside out!! must be a election coming up. they where probably going to leave it until after but the cat is out the bag now so they had to come clean.
If you started from the outside the roof could have collapsed in on itself this would have created a "blow out" effect on other parts of the building forcing the walls out and collapsing on to the path, road and car park by working from the inside out you can take the roof down reducing the weight the walls are carrying you can them move to the outside and push the walls into the foot print of the building.
[quote][p][bold]jayman[/bold] wrote: demolished from the inside out!! must be a election coming up. they where probably going to leave it until after but the cat is out the bag now so they had to come clean.[/p][/quote]If you started from the outside the roof could have collapsed in on itself this would have created a "blow out" effect on other parts of the building forcing the walls out and collapsing on to the path, road and car park by working from the inside out you can take the roof down reducing the weight the walls are carrying you can them move to the outside and push the walls into the foot print of the building. NickS

9:04pm Sat 24 Apr 10

beau27 says...

emcee wrote:
Southendman wrote: Yet again Anna Waite 'the wicked witch of the east' has won again! Her and her corrupt council colleagues are truly the vilest people ever to have drew breath in the civic centre.
AW is indeed Southends worst nightmare but I have to agree that York Road market was an absolute eyesore and needed to go. It was not financially viable to renovate/modernise it as it was beyond that sort of repair. We really should be blaming those who let it get into such a state 20, 30, 40 (or more) years ago.
Your right we should be blaming those who let it get into the state it is. Although a report is done on the condition of the market yearly, so the council knew exactly what state it was in and what needed to be done and maintained for the past 20 odd years. The shopkeepers were still paying rent, where was that going? It was an eyesore, played nicely by the council to give justification and backing from a lot of the public, to rid of it, well done southend council, congratulations, now all they need to do now is count on the pier rotting into the sea, city beach here we come!
[quote][p][bold]emcee[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Southendman[/bold] wrote: Yet again Anna Waite 'the wicked witch of the east' has won again! Her and her corrupt council colleagues are truly the vilest people ever to have drew breath in the civic centre.[/p][/quote]AW is indeed Southends worst nightmare but I have to agree that York Road market was an absolute eyesore and needed to go. It was not financially viable to renovate/modernise it as it was beyond that sort of repair. We really should be blaming those who let it get into such a state 20, 30, 40 (or more) years ago.[/p][/quote]Your right we should be blaming those who let it get into the state it is. Although a report is done on the condition of the market yearly, so the council knew exactly what state it was in and what needed to be done and maintained for the past 20 odd years. The shopkeepers were still paying rent, where was that going? It was an eyesore, played nicely by the council to give justification and backing from a lot of the public, to rid of it, well done southend council, congratulations, now all they need to do now is count on the pier rotting into the sea, city beach here we come! beau27

9:29pm Sat 24 Apr 10

evilc says...

Excellent news Southend is moving out of the Victorian era.

Cannot wait to read the comments of the SWP conspirators and blaming Anna.
Excellent news Southend is moving out of the Victorian era. Cannot wait to read the comments of the SWP conspirators and blaming Anna. evilc

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