New initiative aims to bring small traders in to Blackburn Market
7:00pm Saturday 1st September 2012 in News
A NEW initiative to bring small traders into Blackburn Market in the hope they will blossom into full stallholders is taking off.
Already more than a dozen of 20 small units have been taken offering shoppers the opportunity to buy everything from Indian snacks through to flowers, home made cakes and gas fires.
Mark Smith, owner of Exchange Coffee company, set up the Artisan Row project as part of efforts to reinvigorate the growth of the new market a year after it opened its doors.
He said: “It’s really exciting and really refreshing. We have already let 12 of the 20 available stalls, including two yesterday (fri).
“Lots of people are asking about it. It’s a way for people to come into the market and set up cheaply. Hopefully some of these small businessmen and women will make a success and then go to the council and take a full stall with them.”
The scheme, under the umbrella of Mr Smith’s company Freshapproachin Ltd, offers fledgling retailer entrepreneurs the chance to try their hand at running a market stall for just £50 a week for 1.5 metre plot on a three month licence for up to a total of nine months.
The entrepreneurs then get the chance to take a bigger stall for £100 a week for a further six months as a preparation for hopefully taking a full size pitch which are available on three to six year leases from £500 a month.
The success of the new scheme was praised at this week’s full forum of Blackburn with Darwen council by regeneration chief Dave Harling after it was revealed that 98 of the 127 stall, 77 per cent, were now occupied.
He said: “We have a programme of promotional events for the next few months to increase footfall and improve the shopper experience. This includes stalls being offered under the Artisan Row banner.
“This gives budding traders the chance to try their hand at retailing in a market environment without having to make a huge investment.”
Conservative opposition leader Michael Lee asked what the council was doing to boost take up of market stalls and if they had a plan B if the latest raft of initiatives failed, Fellow Tory Alan Cottam said: “We need to encourage small shop owners. They are the market traders and shop owners of the future. It is a great market.”
Comments(16)
davidinburnley
says...
7:45pm Sat 1 Sep 12
Pendlesider
says...
9:41pm Sat 1 Sep 12
davidinburnley wrote:Won't 'tall' traders already have a head start?
That sounds a bit prejudiced to me. Why not encourage tall and medium sized traders too?
real betis hotpot
says...
11:09pm Sat 1 Sep 12
burner wrote:Free parking on Saturdays on all council car parks. What's wrong with that? The initiative is a brilliant idea also.
If you REALLY want to freshen up the Mall. the Market and the whole town, Dave . . . . . . . review the car parking policies.
burner
says...
11:51pm Sat 1 Sep 12
maxines alterations
says...
12:31am Sun 2 Sep 12
alf-abett
says...
9:49am Sun 2 Sep 12
maxines alterations wrote:But Darwen don't get 2 million quid spent on their Library
parking any where in blackburn town centre is a nightmare full stop..more so if you have a buisness in the town and need to be there 8 hours a day 7 days a week...no concesions,no permits etc.seems its the way to make a quick buck ..darwen has free parking for 3 hours for their market ..why not here?no wonder people go elsewhere to shop!!
There are possibly several reasons why punters don't shop in Blackburn and the following are my reasons.
Parking and the price of. Uninteresting.
Drab and dreary streets.
Traffic system.
Gestapo wardens.
PARKING.
Last but not least the overwhelming feeling of being treated as a cash cow by the council who seem to think me, you and most citizens have unlimited funds so they want it,.Talk about the Sheriff of Nottingham, he was just playing compared to Blackburn Council.
real betis hotpot
says...
11:22am Sun 2 Sep 12
burner wrote:Good point, I agree more probably does need to be done and the mall car park is an absolute rip off. I just think the free council parking is a small step in the right direction to get more people into the town.
@ real etc . . . "What's wrong with that? ". . . it doesn't cover the main car park (the Mall ), or street parking ( length of stay) and one or two folk go shopping on a day other than Saturday. It's a token but it's like putting one AAA battery in a car that won't start. Come on Town retailers ! . . . come on here and tell us what you want to see happen.
burner
says...
11:41am Sun 2 Sep 12
woolywords
says...
11:49am Sun 2 Sep 12
With spaces for, at a guess, around 150-200 cars, any cash-strapped council would jump at that nice little earner except ours.
Are you reading this Cllr Hollern and taking notes?
district01
says...
12:05pm Sun 2 Sep 12
woolywords
says...
12:11pm Sun 2 Sep 12
Radio controlled model cars.
Karting track.
Motorcycle confidence course.
Ladies teaching ladies how to reverse.
Cycle safety training centre.
5-a-side football pitches.
Nightclub/rave arena.
Anyone care to guess how much that would have raised since it has been stood idle?
It's really quite easy to think of the things that this town once had but no longer does plus a few others that would make money.
useyourhead
says...
12:43pm Sun 2 Sep 12
alf-abett
says...
1:20pm Sun 2 Sep 12
A quite clear a thread is emerging of what the tax payers and shoppers are wanting in Blackburn and it sure ain't what the council envisage. If the council would only listen and try to provide what the people want then both parties would be working towards a common goal.
Why cannot a trial period of six months be introduced whereby parking is free on Saturdays and from 10am until 2pm on the other market days, yes you could lose revenue but equally the town as a whole could really benefit and god only knows how we need it.
2 for 5p
says...
6:19pm Sun 2 Sep 12
For years they have been saying the rnts are to much, what a joke £500 a month for a large stall that's about £100 a week utilities in.
Paracites
jack denials
says...
3:42pm Mon 3 Sep 12
alf-abett wrote:They are probably deciding which decent kirbs need replacing, where they could plant the next load of plants and flowers and whether a new rehab centre in Darwen will be a good idea. This is just trivial for them.
I wonder if any / all of the council are following these threads, probably not.
A quite clear a thread is emerging of what the tax payers and shoppers are wanting in Blackburn and it sure ain't what the council envisage. If the council would only listen and try to provide what the people want then both parties would be working towards a common goal.
Why cannot a trial period of six months be introduced whereby parking is free on Saturdays and from 10am until 2pm on the other market days, yes you could lose revenue but equally the town as a whole could really benefit and god only knows how we need it.
burner says...
7:08pm Sat 1 Sep 12