Urgent review to find new market venue in Worcester
The market, which currently operates between 9am and 3.30pm from Thursday to Saturday, will continue until that date.
An “urgent review” will be carried out to find a new venue for a city market set to close later this summer.
Worcester City Council made the decision after it was revealed the Angel Place market will end trading on August 29.
Operator Cotswold Markets Ltd announced the closure in May and cited declining footfall, rising costs, and falling income.
At a place and economic development committee, Councillor Adam Scott called for an urgent review to find alternative locations and delivery models.
He said: “I have to express concern about the ending of market trading in Angel Place, as we have no indication as to what the future of the City of Worcester’s market will be.
“I think this needs to be more than the monthly specialist stalls which come into the High Street.”
Cllr Scott believes a city the size of Worcester should be able to sustain a regular market, describing them as vital for the local economy and community life.
He said markets attract visitors, offer good value, foster entrepreneurship, and bring energy to public spaces.
Cllr Scott said: “We mustn’t just let our markets disappear without a proper look at what we can do in the future.”
The committee voted in favour of his proposal.
Committee chair Adrian Gregson reminded councillors the city council does not currently operate markets directly due to costs and said doing so would be “a fundamental change”.
Sian Stroud, corporate director for economic development, planning, and governance, said the review was feasible but warned that site options would be limited.
She said: “There aren’t that many physical locations in the city so it would be quite constrained.”
Ms Stroud confirmed the operator does not wish to continue running a weekly market in Worcester, though it remains satisfied with the High Street market.
She also said the closure of the market had nothing to do with the council’s plans to redevelop the Scala theatre into an arts centre and Angel Place into a public space.
“The market there has been a very important part of Angel Place and has been a feature there for over 30 years,” said Ms Stroud.
“I’m sure the committee’s already aware the market has struggled in recent years from a financial viability point of view and the operator has given us notice and has decided to end the contract. That is totally unrelated to our plans for Angel Place.
“As things stand currently, the council has offered a little bit of funding to keep the market going longer. But there is no specific plan to keep the market in Angel Place as a location.”
Cllr Jenny Barnes said: “For a city of this size to have no farmer’s market, no ordinary market, it just seems sad.”
Cllr Mel Allcott called traders “part of the lifeblood of the city” and said: “There is the area between The Shambles and New Street which is a typical market hall and would lend itself as somewhere that we could host market stalls.”
Angel Place market traders were first informed of the closure back in May.