Hartlepool council chiefs want your views on quality of weekly outdoor market

The Thursday market in the town centre has not been held since the coronavirus lockdown began in mid March.

Operators Hartlepool Borough Council have launched an online survey to learn more about what people like and dislike about it.

It wants to know how people were using the market prior to lockdown why the may not have visited it prior to the lockdown.

Environmental Project Officer Matthew Pearce, who is responsible for the market, said: “We are keen to gain as full an understanding as possible of what people like about the market and what may have been putting some people off from visiting prior to the introduction of lockdown restrictions.

“I would urge as many people as possible to complete the survey which should take them less than five minutes.”

Residents of Hartlepool are being asked to give their views on the town’s weekly open market by completing a short online survey.

Prior to lockdown, the market was held from 7.30am to 4pm in the West Side car park between York Road and Middleton Grange shopping centre next to the ramp.

Typical stalls include fruit and veg, meat, fish, bakery/confectionery clothes, accessories and work wear, bric-a-brac, smoking and vaping accessories, CDs and DVDs and bed linen and towels.

The survey also asks people how often they visit the market and if they have missed it during lockdown.

People are also asked to rate it on a scale of 1 to 5 in respect of a number of factors, including the range of stalls and products, value for money and location.

The council added: “If you do not visit we would like to find out why and whether there is anything that we can do to make you more likely to visit.”

The survey which closes on July 31st, can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/hbc-openmarket2020

Anyone with questions about the survey or about the market in general can contact Matthew Pearce on (01429) 402749 or by emailing [email protected]

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