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)

7:08pm Sat 1 Sep 12

burner says...

If you REALLY want to freshen up the Mall. the Market and the whole town, Dave . . . . . . . review the car parking policies.
If you REALLY want to freshen up the Mall. the Market and the whole town, Dave . . . . . . . review the car parking policies. burner

7:45pm Sat 1 Sep 12

davidinburnley says...

That sounds a bit prejudiced to me. Why not encourage tall and medium sized traders too?
That sounds a bit prejudiced to me. Why not encourage tall and medium sized traders too? davidinburnley

9:41pm Sat 1 Sep 12

Pendlesider says...

davidinburnley wrote:
That sounds a bit prejudiced to me. Why not encourage tall and medium sized traders too?
Won't 'tall' traders already have a head start?
[quote][p][bold]davidinburnley[/bold] wrote: That sounds a bit prejudiced to me. Why not encourage tall and medium sized traders too?[/p][/quote]Won't 'tall' traders already have a head start? Pendlesider

11:09pm Sat 1 Sep 12

real betis hotpot says...

burner wrote:
If you REALLY want to freshen up the Mall. the Market and the whole town, Dave . . . . . . . review the car parking policies.
Free parking on Saturdays on all council car parks. What's wrong with that? The initiative is a brilliant idea also.
[quote][p][bold]burner[/bold] wrote: If you REALLY want to freshen up the Mall. the Market and the whole town, Dave . . . . . . . review the car parking policies.[/p][/quote]Free parking on Saturdays on all council car parks. What's wrong with that? The initiative is a brilliant idea also. real betis hotpot

11:51pm Sat 1 Sep 12

burner says...

@ 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.
@ 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

12:31am Sun 2 Sep 12

maxines alterations says...

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!!
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!! maxines alterations

9:49am Sun 2 Sep 12

alf-abett says...

maxines alterations wrote:
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!!
But Darwen don't get 2 million quid spent on their Library

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.
[quote][p][bold]maxines alterations[/bold] wrote: 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!![/p][/quote]But Darwen don't get 2 million quid spent on their Library 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. alf-abett

11:22am Sun 2 Sep 12

real betis hotpot says...

burner wrote:
@ 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.
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.
[quote][p][bold]burner[/bold] wrote: @ 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.[/p][/quote]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 betis hotpot

11:41am Sun 2 Sep 12

burner says...

Last week there was an article on the BBC News website about new powers for Councils re motorists. It attracted almost 200 comments from ALL over this nation. . . . they started being about zealous enforcement but then it quickly turned to nearly every contributer saying, about their OWN town/community, the self same comments we write about week in week out on here about Blackburn. . . . . just as alf-abett says above. It's not a Blackburn thing . . . . how can so many Councils not get it? How can so many Councils judge it wrongly? When will SOMEONE see the obvious . . . . attract the motorist AND all their passengers and beef up trade in the town centres ! Stop driving them away. People are spending . . . , but WHERE ? is what bothers traders.
Last week there was an article on the BBC News website about new powers for Councils re motorists. It attracted almost 200 comments from ALL over this nation. . . . they started being about zealous enforcement but then it quickly turned to nearly every contributer saying, about their OWN town/community, the self same comments we write about week in week out on here about Blackburn. . . . . just as alf-abett says above. It's not a Blackburn thing . . . . how can so many Councils not get it? How can so many Councils judge it wrongly? When will SOMEONE see the obvious . . . . attract the motorist AND all their passengers and beef up trade in the town centres ! Stop driving them away. People are spending . . . , but WHERE ? is what bothers traders. burner

11:49am Sun 2 Sep 12

woolywords says...

The Council missed a trick by not opening up the rooftop car park on the old market building for all day parking for a pound. Yes, a £1, for the whole day, every day, 6 days a week. For added value, a car boot sale with free parking on every Sunday afternoon.
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?
The Council missed a trick by not opening up the rooftop car park on the old market building for all day parking for a pound. Yes, a £1, for the whole day, every day, 6 days a week. For added value, a car boot sale with free parking on every Sunday afternoon. 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? woolywords

12:05pm Sun 2 Sep 12

district01 says...

The town centre now seems small because there are now more people living around it. It’s now not big enough and contains too many large private concerns. Send them to Whitebirk and transform Blackburn shopping back to as it used to be before the shopping centre was built!
The town centre now seems small because there are now more people living around it. It’s now not big enough and contains too many large private concerns. Send them to Whitebirk and transform Blackburn shopping back to as it used to be before the shopping centre was built! district01

12:11pm Sun 2 Sep 12

woolywords says...

Some other ideas, while waiting for the Yorkshire puddings to rise..

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.
Some other ideas, while waiting for the Yorkshire puddings to rise.. 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. woolywords

12:43pm Sun 2 Sep 12

useyourhead says...

Could it just possibly be that quite a lot is already being spent in Blackburn, but that it is getting 'lost' and ending up abroad?
Could it just possibly be that quite a lot is already being spent in Blackburn, but that it is getting 'lost' and ending up abroad? useyourhead

1:20pm Sun 2 Sep 12

alf-abett says...

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.
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. alf-abett

6:19pm Sun 2 Sep 12

2 for 5p says...

Market stall holders eh I sh£t em
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
Market stall holders eh I sh£t em 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 2 for 5p

3:42pm Mon 3 Sep 12

jack denials says...

alf-abett wrote:
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.
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.
[quote][p][bold]alf-abett[/bold] wrote: 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.[/p][/quote]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. jack denials

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