Business owners in Sneinton Market have spoken out about what they think would attract more customers to the area.
Walking around the market, you will find vibrant, colourful units., including some of Nottingham's best independent businesses.
Street food venue Bustler is about to open in the area too.
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But business owners have said more could be done to attract customers to the area.
Clare Gregory, 42 spoke about what it’s like having a unit at Sneinton Market.
Her business, Bonearrow specialises in handmade alternative jewellery. Speaking from her shop at Unit 35, Clare said: “I have a really niche customer base, what I sell is alternative and gothic. A lot of my stuff has skulls.”
Clare has been at Sneinton Market for 2 ½ years. One of Bonearrow’s most popular items is a ring called Queen of the Underworld.
Clare continued: “It’s nice, there’s a lot of stuff going on and there’s loads of new businesses, there were a lot of empty units for ages.
“It’s nice when people come down and say ‘I didn’t know this was here’ or they say ‘it’s like Covent Garden’. I do love Sneinton Market, it’s a community and it’s the only place where you can sit in the sun after shopping.”
Every month Bonearrow drops a one of a kind piece. Clare added: “There’s not much of a footfall, there aren’t people down here unless there’s an event, online is where people are mostly shopping.”
Bonearrows slogan is ‘There’s Magic in Metal.’ Clare also does jewellery masterclasses where people pay to learn how to make their own jewellery.
Whiff Whaff Designs is at Unit 44 and 47 of Sneinton Market. The store makes handmade dog and cat collars, leads and sells other items for cats and dogs.
Georgie Thorton is the owner. The 62-year-old said: “As the owner of an independent pet accessories business based at Sneinton Market Avenues it’s great to be surrounded by so many other diverse small businesses, it makes the area feel vibrant and there is a real sense of community.
“We’re very excited for the opening of the new businesses in the recently refurbished units situated opposite us, on Avenues D and E, as we hope they attract even more visitors.”
Georgie has noticed two occasions where footfall increased. She said: "Footfall for us dropped at the start of the pandemic. After the first lockdown, when we opened, it was fantastic for the first month and then declined over time to plateau over last year.
"We then have experienced a fall again in footfall when the energy crisis began this year. It hasn’t helped having the building work on the other side of the market as the whole of Sneinton Market Avenues looks closed when you come down from the city centre."
Despite all this the Sneinton drinking scene seems to be on the up. Previous reports state that the areas drinking scene is similar to Covent Gardens.
With pubs such as The Bath Inn on 1 Handel Street which reopened last year December after renovations many people feel that Sneinton has a lot of potential.
Georgie explained why the store is so successful. She said: “ Our customers visit us because we hand make our products to the highest quality and we stock a huge range of colourful prints so pet owners can choose something which is as unique as their pet."
One of Whiff Whaff's most popular products is an "eye-catching" peacock print dog collar, lead and bow tie set. Georgie added: “We also take a lot of orders for made to measure dog coats, which we offer in various wool, denim or waterproof waxed cotton fabrics.”
A new unit which has been “a long time coming” has also come to Sneinton. Textile Guru is on Unit 20 Avenue B.
Owner Megan Crook has another Unit across the way from Textile Guru called Get Crooked which are sustainably made clothing items. The fabrics of the clothing attracted customers so much, Textile Guru opened where customers can buy their own fabrics.
Megan, 38, said: “There’s not a lot of people, it’s about getting people from Hockley, coming here and it’s not far. Textile Guru opened a week ago.
“All our garments are made in house using sustainable fabrics, because of the amount of people coming into Get Crooked and loving the fabrics, we’ve made this [Textile Guru] to inspire the Textile Guru in you! It’s been a long time coming but the more the merrier.”
Tamily Cookson, CEO of Creative Quarter Company Nottingham, the economic development agency for the locality including Sneinton Market, said:“Sneinton Market Avenues has grown in leaps and bounds in the 10 years since it received EU funding for its redevelopment. At the heart of the Creative Quarter, it’s an incredible space with many small independent businesses, from chocolate makers to jewellers to bakers and clothing designers."
Hosting events suchs as Street Food Club, Young Hustlers and the Nottingham Puppet Festival has helped the market increase visitors. The Creative Quarter CEO hopes that the new developments in Sneinton including student flats and Bustler will have a "positive impact."
She continued: Better signage and a commitment to supporting place-making activity in this part of the city will be key to encouraging people to explore the area and enjoy one of Nottingham’s hidden gems.”
Leader of the City Council, David Mellen said: “I’ve lived in Sneinton for 30-odd years and the market is an exciting place. Many businesses have been hit by Covid but despite this, Sneinton Market have had events held there including one this weekend.
“Last year, there was also Light Night, the market is a popular place with the Creative Quarter overseeing it. Local businesses are very important, in Nottingham there are many local big chains which are key to the city and contribute to the local economy.
“As a city council, we’ll do all we can to support independent, local business.
“Around a decade ago this area was a little rundown and unloved, which was turned around through a number of projects including the redevelopment of Victoria Leisure Centre, Sneinton Square and the market itself which has been rejuvenated as a popular centre for local independent creative businesses.
“Like other businesses, those on Sneinton Market were hit by Covid, and it impacted on the ability to attract new businesses to occupy vacant units. Covid also meant events couldn’t take place which are one of the drivers to bring people into the area.
“However, things are really picking up again now. Events are taking place again, attracting extra footfall, and new tenants are coming onto the site, including Derby-based street food operators Bustler Market who are taking up the whole of one avenue from this autumn.
“New private developments on and around the site, including residential developments, will also help to further animate the area.”
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