Issue - meetings

Further to minute 736 of 3 March 2015, to consider the recommendations of the Traders Market Task and Finish Group on the future of the Traders Chichester Market, and to recommend to the Council a retendering of the traders market licence, including a one year trial on Wednesday of a market in the pedestrian precinct.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

(1)  That tenders be sought for the operation of the Traders market from 1 April 2016, including the introduction, on a trial basis for one year, of a precinct traders market on Wednesdays with the Saturday market remaining at the Cattle Market Car Park location.

RESOLVED

(2)  That, subject to (1) above, tenders be sought on the basis of the market being run by a market operator who will be authorised to trade by way of the grant of a Street Trading Consent.

Further to minute 736 of 3 March 2015, the Cabinet considered the report circulated with the agenda (copy attached to the official minutes, except for confidential Appendix 2).

Mrs Keegan introduced the report. She reminded the Cabinet that the existing operator of the market in the Cattle Market car park had expressed concern about its continuing viability after several years of decline. Accordingly , the Cabinet had authorised consultation with key partners on its possible re-location. That consultation had taken place, with stallholders, city centre businesses and residents. The report described the differing views received.

The Task and Finish Group had also considered market operations elsewhere, especially Winchester where relocation to the pedestrian precinct had attracted £8m additional revenue to businesses.

The objective would be to use the market to add value to the city centre. The recommendation was to seek tenders for a trial market on Wednesdays in the pedestrian precinct, keeping the Saturday market in the Cattle Market car park, and defining the standards which stallholders would be expected to meet in terms of appearance and goods to be sold.

Cabinet members supported the proposal but asked how standards would be controlled. Mr Foord (Licensing Manager) explained that this could be done through conditions on street trading consents,

Cabinet members also expressed concern that the very popular Little London car park was proposed to be used for stall-holders’ vehicles for the Wednesday market and enquired what impact this would have on car park receipts. Mr Legood (Valuation and Estates Manager) explained that this was difficult to forecast because vehicles displaced from one car park usually went to another. However, the gross reduction in income was estimated at £16,000 pa, which would be off-set by the additional availability of spaces in the Cattle Market car park. The Little London car park was used by stall-holders of other markets in the precinct, but consideration could be given instead to the use by stall-holders of the Baffins Lane or Cattle Market car parks.

RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

(1)  That tenders be sought for the operation of the Traders market from 1 April 2016, including the introduction, on a trial basis for one year, of a precinct traders market on Wednesdays with the Saturday market remaining at the Cattle Market Car Park location.

RESOLVED

(2)  That, subject to (1) above, tenders be sought on the basis of the market being run by a market operator who will be authorised to trade by way of the grant of a Street Trading Consent.