‘We need to reinvent what markets can do’: Plans to attract young traders to Goldthorpe market space which sees one trader per week

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Plans are underway to entice a new generation of market traders in Goldthorpe after it was revealed that just one stall a week is using a new space one year after it opened.

When Goldthorpe’s market square was opened in October 2023, it was hoped that it would help to kickstart the village’s regeneration.

Some £1.37m of the £23m Towns Fund granted to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council from the government was used to improve Goldthorpe’s town centre.

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This included the demolition of the derelict Horse and Groom pub, and the installation of a new town square for events and market stalls.

When Goldthorpe’s market square was opened in October 2023, it was hoped that it would help to kickstart the village’s regeneration.When Goldthorpe’s market square was opened in October 2023, it was hoped that it would help to kickstart the village’s regeneration.
When Goldthorpe’s market square was opened in October 2023, it was hoped that it would help to kickstart the village’s regeneration.

A freedom of information request submitted by the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed that the number of regular stalls on the new square has reduced from eight in October 2023, to just one in September 2024.

However, a spokesperson for the National Market Traders’ Federation (NMTF), says plans are in the works to reinvent the market, to attract a whole new generation of traders and shoppers – and to move the market with the times.

Joe Harrison, chief executive of the NMTF, says the current lack of use of the square is a ‘shame’ – but it is a similar story to markets up and down the country.

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“There’s a lot more forward-thinking needs to be done on what we can do with the space, and not necessarily run it as it always was run,” he added.

“Every community deserves a space like that. Nobody could knock Barnsley for the way that they’ve put the market at the heart of the new town centre, and continually trying to do that with the district markets.

“The 125-year-old NMTF are going to do our utmost so Goldthorpe people can enjoy this space that’s got its market, but other things for the community, and put the space at the heart of the community.

Mr Harrison told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that plans are underway to encourage young people aged 16 to 25 to operate a stall from the square, providing opportunities for young people to set up and run their own business, and that the space can also be used for events.

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“It needs to be a family-friendly space for the community, and the market as part of that, and maybe look for different themes [such as] vintage clothing, maybe a different offer on different days.

“Markets are all about feeding the community and being a community space, and we can do that with the young people.

“We visit markets all over the UK, so we can bring some ideas from elsewhere that might work in Barnsley.

“[We need to} reinvent what the market can actually do, and create that footfall.”

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Mr Harrison added that as the market is on a Thursday when most people are at work, a weekend market may attract more customers.

“What it was has already put the shopping public off,” he added.

“It’s quite a difficult thing to do, to bring people back to that space that’s not been used properly for some time.”

Councillor Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture at Barnsley Council, said: “We’ve developed the Horse and Groom Square in Goldthorpe as a vibrant space for the community. As well as a market space, it’s a central hub where residents can meet, relax in the community garden, and enjoy a variety of exciting events.

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“We’re committed to making sure the space thrives, and as part of this, we are working to attract more market traders to our Thursday market.

“We’ve held some fantastic community events at the square since it opened last October, such as the MAYhem Festival which attracted more than 1,300 people to the space. These events offer a great opportunity for market traders, bringing high footfall to the area, and we’ve got more exciting events on the way this year for traders to get involved with. Keep an eye on our Barnsley Markets Facebook page for more information.

“Alongside a calendar of events, we’re also working on developing further projects for the square, looking at how we can encourage more traders to apply for a stall.

“The Horse and Groom Square is part of the wider Heart of Goldthorpe project, which was allocated £1.37m from the Towns Fund to improve the environment and accessibility of the town centre, and create a sense of place that is well kept, cared for and visited.

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