There are still plans to keep Newcastle’s Grainger Market open into the evening and turn it into a “stunning” live venue, despite a flagship event relocating.
It was confirmed this week that the Great Market Caper, which took over the market hall with pop-up bars, street food, music, comedy, and dance performances in a series of late-night extravaganzas last year, is moving to the Baltic art gallery on the Gateshead Quayside. Organisers said that staging events at the Grainger Market had become “too difficult” because of the dated infrastructure at the famous site, which is almost two centuries old, including unreliable electricity supplies.
Having the market stay open later into the evening, particularly for food and drink traders, rather than shutting at its usual 5.30pm has been one of the key ideas for an ongoing revival of the beloved Geordie institution. And Newcastle City Council says that very much remains on the table, as it works up proposals for £9m worth of upgrades that will further boost the Grainger Market’s renaissance.
After years of disruptive construction work and the trauma of the Covid pandemic, stallholders have been revelling in a return to normality of late – with footfall improving and the long-running restoration of the market’s iconic barrelled roof finally complete. While a report last month confirmed that the market had a projected £377,000 shortfall against its budget for 2022/23, that was an improvement on the previous year and local authority officials said the centre’s financial problems were now “salvageable”.
The Government awarded £7m worth of Levelling Up funding to the Grainger Market, which will be supplemented by £2m from the council, for improvements in 2021 and that work is due to begin later this year – though the details of what exactly will be done remain unconfirmed. But a council spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Wednesday: “As part of the £7m of levelling up funding, we are working with the traders on plans to ensure the Grainger Market continues to be a truly unique destination in the city, offering something for everyone both in the day and into the evening.
“Our ambition for the market is to grow audiences whilst retaining the existing loyal customers, and it has always been our vision that it becomes somewhere to hold different pop-up events and installations. The funding is allowing this to be realised and lessons learned from hosting the Caper will be invaluable.
“We will be upgrading the infrastructure to enable the market to expand its events programme and provide a stunning venue for live performances, with new electrics, improved lighting and additional toilet facilities. The newly refurbished roof in the arcade has also opened up a whole new space ideally suited for this type of activity.
“Although we are obviously disappointed that the Caper decided to find alternative premises, we would like to wish them all the best with their new venture.”
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