The Grainger Market’s first late-night entertainment extravaganza will be held in September – and it is set to come with a £10 entry fee.
Plans were unveiled in April to open up the historic Newcastle city centre market for one night a month in a bid to breathe fresh life into one of Tyneside’s most prized assets, after it was revealed that it is costing council bosses £300,000 a year to keep it running. It had initially been hoped that the first such event, to be known as the Great Market Caper, would be held by the end of May.
But organisers have announced that the inaugural Caper will be held on Saturday, September 3, and promised “excellent value for money” for charging a ticket price to get into the beloved 19th century indoor market, which is free to enter during normal hours. Tickets are due to go on sale this month for the event, which will feature some of the centre’s existing traders alongside other new vendors and a variety of performers.
Sean Bullick, director of Let’s Stick Together Events Ltd, said: “We’re delighted to announce the first Great Market Caper will be on September 3, ideal post-summer, back-to-school timing for a fantastic night out. Tickets will go on sale on July 18 and will be available exclusively on our website: www.thecaper.co.uk
“We are turning the Grainger Market into a fantastic, atmospheric Saturday night venue, providing a range of top-class entertainment, promoting local businesses, and attracting people back into the city centre. Entertainment from 6pm to midnight does incur a cost but the tickets prices – in the region of £10 - will prove to be excellent value for money, and we urge people to book as soon as the website goes live to avoid disappointment.”
The plans to turn the famous Geordie institution into a bustling evening attraction were unveiled after it was branded a “resource draining asset” in a council report, which warned that the market is putting an annual £300,000 dent in the civic centre coffers. Traders have racked up rent arrears of more than £500,000 after the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of over-running roof repair works at the market has spiralled above £5m.
Mr Bullick said in June that the market, which has opened into the night to boost trade in the run-up to Christmas in the past, would play host to “everything from roller discos to circus acts”.
The Grainger Market’s existing food and drink stalls will be given priority to sign up for the Caper events, which will also feature additional traders from elsewhere.
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