Pudsey Market to get major weekend revamp with street food and vintage fairs
The council hopes the new events will boost trade
A Leeds market will host a new programme of weekend events, such as street food and vintage fairs, following a council consultation.
Pudsey Market will now be available to hire by private operators on Saturdays and Sundays, offering a rolling programme of specialist markets.
It comes after Leeds City Council deemed the market no longer financially viable due to a decline in the number of customers and stallholders.
The council launched a consultation into its future, and almost 750 people shared their views on how to boost trade.
Almost 90% of respondents said they would like to see different specialist markets taking place each weekend.
The council said the selected operators will deliver a rolling programme of specialist markets, with themes likely to include street food, vintage and arts and crafts.
The existing market stalls would remain the same on Tuesday and Friday, and the council hopes people attending the weekend events will be more likely to make return visits during the week.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, said: “Markets are part of the fabric of life in many communities across Leeds and we are determined, as a council, to do everything we can to support them.
“I’m really pleased, therefore, that our consultation has shown such strong backing for the specialist markets we are now planning to host on Saturdays and Sundays in Pudsey.
“There should be a real buzz around these events and it’s our hope that people attending them will be more likely to visit the market on its normal trading days during the week.
“They also have the potential to help shops and other businesses in the wider community by bringing more people into the town centre.”
In the consultation, 91% of respondents said there was still a role for a market in Pudsey, with many citing the part it historically played in shaping the town’s character and identity.
Further details about the specialist markets - including their start date - will be announced following conversations with prospective Saturday and Sunday operators.
The council said the new set-up will aim to replicate the programme of food festivals and events that has been running in Leeds Kirkgate Market’s events space in recent years.
“I look forward to seeing what the schedule for the new weekend markets has to offer once it has been announced,” Coun Arif added.