Our 1,200-year-old market survived Black Death & world wars…but council's ‘Harry Potter plan' may finally kill it

The Sun

7 hours ago

A CITY's historic open air market which has survived the Vikings, the Norman Conquest, the Black Death and two world wars is perhaps facing its biggest crisis yet.
Angry stallholders claim the 1,200-year-old market in the centre of Cambridge could wither and die if major redevelopment plans drawn up by local councillors get the go ahead.
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They fear the £12.6million scheme would turn the place into 'a playground for tourists' like trendy Borough Market in London, full of fast food stalls and gift shops selling tacky Harry Potter-style souvenirs.
The number of permanent pitches would also be chopped by more than half, with dozens of demountable stalls introduced, which are able to be quickly cleared for the space to double for performances and other activities.
It could mean local residents are no longer be able to go there seven days a week to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, bread, books and even bicycles.
The council is adamant the "ambition" is to ensure a more "flexible" and modern space in much-need to a face lift.
It is hoped it will also free up funds in the long-term to be reinvested elsewhere, as well as protect businesses against late-night anti-social behaviour.
But many of the traders The Sun spoke to during our visit this week were sceptical about the plans.
'They just want to gentrify it and make it look all pretty,' said fed-up Tom Kennedy, who is already packing in the lease on his stall doing bike repairs. 'They don't want us grease monkeys here!
'It's a shame. This market could be absolutely epic if they didn't put a bunch of pen-pushing bureaucrats in charge – folk who couldn't organise a p***-up in a brewery," he told The Sun.
'When they were drawing up plans for the market they promised they'd listen to our concerns. Well, they did – but then didn't take a blind bit of notice.'
Carlos, 38, who was selling coffee from his homeland of Colombia at a nearby stall, agreed.
'This market is the soul of Cambridge,' he explained. 'It's right in the middle of the city and a lovely place both to work and shop. All the traders support each other.
'But all that could be destroyed if these plans go ahead. We need to conserve the market for future generations not destroy it.'
Cambridge Council is proposing a massive Civic Quarter project which would spruce up the nearby Guildhall and the Corn Exchange.
But as part of the plans, centuries-old cobbles in the market square would be torn up and then replaced, with the current 81 stalls reduced to around 30 along with the 58 temporary gazebos.
The square would then be used as a performance area for music concerts or theatrical shows as well as for the market.
Ian Mortlock, 55, who does a roaring trade selling sun hats in summer and then warm gloves and scarves during winter, said: 'It's a big worry.
'This won't help the small traders like me. Rents are bound to go up and we will be squeezed out by the big chains.'
They just want to gentrify it and make it look all pretty. They don't want us grease monkeys here! It's a shame. This market could be absolutely epic if they didn't put a bunch of pen-pushing bureaucrats in charge – folk who couldn't organise a p***-up in a brewery.
Tom Kennedymarket trader
Ken Woollard, 66, waved an arm over his stall where they've been selling fresh fruit and vegetables for more than 100 years.
'They're going to take all the cobbles up and then they've got to put them back down again because they're listed,' he said, while selling some delicious-looking cherries for a pound. 'You do wonder why they bother.
'Perhaps they've got to do something. But these flimsy gazebos they're talking about won't do for us. There won't be anywhere near enough room to display our fruit and veg.'
Tom Wells, 20, whose stall was displaying a bizarre fossil of a mammoth's jaw among crystal gems and ammonites from around the world, feared the worst if the plans are approved.
He said: 'I think the council would like to bulldoze the market and see it disappear completely so they can use the area as a permanent open air events arena.
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'Or failing that they'd like to turn it into a trendy Borough Market-type place, full of fancy food stalls, catering for tourists but ignoring the needs of local residents.
'They talk about consultation. And ask us what we want. But then they go and do the exact opposite.'
Fishmonger Archie Starrs, 21, who has stall on the market four days a week, said there was no way he could operate in one if the proposed gazebos.
He added: 'I don't know whether we would be able to function at all under the new scheme. But knowing this council, at the end of the day I have my doubts that anything will ever happen at all.'
Shopper Mandy Davies-Kent, walking her dog Bear through the market, sympathised with the stallholders.
'I've been coming here for 30 years and the market was once so diverse,' she said. 'But a lot of traders have been priced out
'A friend of mine used to have a stall selling lovely old rugs and antiques, and there were all kinds of organic food. You could even get ostrich eggs here.
'But unfortunately the market is losing its character. There is too much tourist tat here these days.'
We only found one stallholder who was happy with the plans. Minnie, 36, from Thailand, reckoned it would be good for her stall selling gelato and lemonade drinks flavoured with honey.
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'Everybody has a different opinion,' she said. 'And that is good. But I think the council's new plans would benefit my business so I am quite happy.'
One of the scheme's biggest opponents is Anne Garvey, who edits the Cambridge Critique magazine and lives just a few minutes walk from the market.
She and her architect husband Stephen have been have been doing the bulk of their shopping there for almost 40 years and want to continue doing so.
'You used to be able to buy everything you needed there,' said Anne, who is now supporting a petition to save the market.
'There were greengrocers, butchers, fishmongers, cheese stalls, jewellers, florists, fabric shops – you name it and somebody sold it. Some traders would even deliver to your home.
'But now it is becoming full of ice cream shops and fudge shops. More and more of Cambridge's traditional upmarket businesses are disappearing and being replaced with shops selling Harry Potter souvenirs and other tat.
'It's all very jolly. But it's not very authentic!'
In November last year, city councillor Simon Smith said the market would not be "destroyed" after it "survived Vikings, Black Death, wars and recessions".
He added that people in the city needed to get a 'sense of perspective', reports CambridgeshireLive.
He said at the project is still at an early stage and that they would continue to discuss the designs and proposals with traders and members of the public.
It survived Vikings, Norman conquest, several outbreaks of the Black Death, Civil War, multiple harvest failures, innumerable economic recessions, two world wars, can we just get a sense of perspective in this city, this council is not out to destroy the market.
Cllr Simon SmithCambridge City Council
During a meeting on November 28, Cllr Smith said: "There are people worried that we are about to destroy the market; if there is one thing about the 1,200 year market it is resilience.
"It survived Vikings, Norman conquest, several outbreaks of the Black Death, Civil War, multiple harvest failures, innumerable economic recessions, two world wars, can we just get a sense of perspective in this city, this council is not out to destroy the market."
He added that the authority hoped the changes proposed would also reduce the city council's operating costs.
A majority of councillors agreed to move forward to the next design stage, aiming to submit a planning application over summer 2025.
'Our plans have been adapting in line with feedback'
Councillor Rosy Moore, Executive Councillor for Climate Action and Environment, told The Sun in a statement: 'We remain committed to supporting the thriving seven-day market on the market square, with the same square meterage of stalls as there is currently.
"Our plans have been adapting in line with traders' feedback, including increasing the number of permanent stalls being proposed to 36, alongside 58 demountable stalls.
"Feedback from our recent consultation supports an approach that allows more space to host events throughout the year.
'All traders who have a contract when any construction works begin will be able to return to the new market so, unless they choose not to, the variety of products on offer for local people and tourists is not set to change.
"We have also committed to freezing rents for the first year after the works are completed. Our new balance of trade policy also shows our commitment to getting the right balance of stalls, which the current market achieves.
'Anyone who has visited the market will have seen that the floor desperately needs relaying, as well as the need for new underground bins, electrics and lighting.
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"So the market itself and the surroundings will see much-needed improvements. The consultation showed support for a new covered seating area with a wide range of seating styles, more pedestrianisation in and around the square to improve accessibility, improved cleanliness, and more greenery.
"We are proposing to provide all of this, with new seating areas including a new covered area to offer places with sun shade or rain shelter to support those eating food from the market.
"The pavement, road and setts on and around the market currently prevent people from accessing the market if they are wheelchair or pushchair users; we will be resurfacing the whole area to make it much more accessible, while preserving the Victorian granite setts. We will also be planting to make the area more biodiverse and provide natural shade in the square.
'The ambition of the project is also to enable more flexible use of the space so that, on quieter days when there isn't such a demand from traders for stalls, we would have the option of holding events in the square or there just being open space for residents to enjoy.
"The demountable stalls will allow flexibility to expand and contract depending on demand from traders. This would be similar to other markets across the UK and Europe, which also use demountable stalls like the ones that have recently been trialled by Cambridge Market traders.
'We hear regularly from traders and the wider community that late night antisocial behaviour in the market square is a concern, and that having stalls standing vacant contributes to this as it enables antisocial behaviour to take place hidden from CCTV cameras and natural observation.
"The ability to put away the demountable stalls overnight will help to address this concern for the community too.
'This work is being carried out with the support of a Markets Expert and our Markets Manager who have supported the development of a new Business Plan for the market, which sets out an improved service offer for traders including enhanced cleaning, waste management processes, and a team to construct and deconstruct the demountable stalls.
"This improved offer will see a phased increase in rents in the coming years, which will bring rents more in line with those charged in other thriving UK markets, reflecting the enhanced level of support."
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