Market Traders Will Move to First-Class Refurbished Market

Loyal Gainsborough market trader Mr. Flynn Harding ca not wait for the town's £3 million refurbishment to be finished.  The end of the work will mean the traders can move back into their brand new Market Place home on Tuesday, 24th August 2010.

Stallholders will be able to take advantage of a first-class trading environment.  Mr. Harding works on the fruit and veg stall on the market.  He said:

"Moving the market to a new temporary site was always going to be difficult.

"But I am sure it will all be worth it in the end when we have a town centre that will rival any other in Lincolnshire and for miles around."

Mr. Harding has been working on Gainsborough market for 25 years. He said:

"It is a good atmosphere working on the market. You have good banter with people who come back to see you week after week.

"The refurbishment has affected the whole town but everyone is looking forward to getting back to normal.

"It will certainly look a lot better once the work has been completed."

A job of this size is bound to take time, but compared to other areas the Gainsborough work has been done very quickly, to minimise disruption.  Traders and retailers have been fully informed and consulted throughout the whole process.

The council has frozen the Tuesday stall rents since April 2008 and, in response to requests from traders reduced the Saturday rents.  A special family fun day is now being planned to celebrate the official re-launch of the market.  Celebrity Chef Rachel Green, has agreed to return to the town to mark the occasion and will give a cookery demonstration on the day.

Mr. Peter Thurlow, Co-op manager said:

"We are really looking forward to a positive trading performance when the market returns.

"It will look absolutely stunning. There has been a lot of investment in Gainsborough in recent years, especially with Marshalls Yard and it is fitting the town centre has been updated to.

"We hope local residents and people in surrounding villages and towns will continue to support the market."

Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr. Burt Keimach, Conservative (Market Rasen Ward), explained the refurbishments have been carried out to benefit the town and the local traders.

"We need a modern town centre to serve Gainsborough as it continues to grow and prosper over the next 20 years, when the town will benefit from the Growth Point status which means the town will double in size."