Town's market to get major refurbishment after plans approved by council

Abingdon Street Market will receive a new lease of life and secure its long term future at the heart of Blackpool’s town centre after a planning application was submitted to the council in May and later approved.

The refurbishment, being carried out by development consultancy Turley, will commence immediately, with an anticipated reopening of the market in spring 2022.

Turley spokesperson Daniel Ramsay said: “The market’s renovation will modernise the both the internal space as well as the external façade, whilst respecting its heritage as part of the town centre conservation area.

“The renovations will deliver a more contemporary, attractive marketplace with new fea-tures that will encourage shoppers and visitors to stop and socialise, stay for longer and spend more, also boosting footfall and retail trade in the surrounding area.”

The planning application is for the demolition of a single storey extension on Police Street, the external refurbishment of all façades, and the replacement of access doors and windows with new feature glazed frontages.

Internal plans include:

• An extended food and beverage quarter with 250 seats for consumption of food and beverages purchased in the market

• Stalls for food produce, food and beverage, artisan stalls and flexible retail units

• Coffee stall and bar area

The market closed its doors at the start of the lockdown period and has remained closed due to the urgency and severity of some of the maintenance works that were required, with some traders and stall holders moving into the former Topshop unit on Victoria Street.

Others made their own arrangements with private landlords for accommodation in the town.

Director of communications and regeneration at Blackpool Council, Alan Cavill, said: “We continue to work closely on a one-to-one basis with all the traders throughout the process, to ensure their needs and concerns are met over the coming months.

"Due to a couple of setbacks that were out of our control, we have now relocated the stallholders that wished to move into the Victoria Street property and council premises.”

Working on behalf of Blackpool Council, the development team for Abingdon Street Market includes Eddisons, CBRE as the lead project manager and cost consultant, Turley, TP Bennett Architects, mechanical and electrical engineers Steven Hunt and Associates, and Blackpool-based structural engineers Hermolle.