'We have to try' - Hartlepool's outdoor market given last chance to survive

Hartlepool Borough Council bosses said they hope the decision will “help the market thrive” and ensure its “future sustainability”.

However, should no third party come forward able to operate the market, a report will come back before councillors proposing to give traders notice of an intention to close it.

The Thursday market, held behind York Road, is currently managed by the council.

But officers have noted the number of stallholders has dwindled since the pandemic with “no signs of interest” from other businesses.

Local authority staff explained there has previously been “lots of efforts” to attract new traders without success and there are no dedicated officers allocated to the market, meaning there is no scope to grow the event.

Councillors at the latest meeting of the adult and community based services committee therefore unanimously backed a recommendation to seek a third party operator for the site.

They agreed should this be unsuccessful a report would then go before councillors looking to shut the market, which officers noted is “not achieving its income target”.

Labour Councillor Gary Allen, the committee chair, said: “This isn’t a plan to close the market, it’s a plan to help the market thrive, for future sustainability, to give the market a chance.

“As it stands if we leave it, it will just peter out, and we have to try.”

Council officers said they hope to make progress “in the next three to four months” and they will now engage with traders before going out to seek interested parties.

Local authority reports stated the intention is the new operator would take over the market without a break in trading and operate for a minimum of 50 weeks a year while allowing current holders to continue trading.

Other options on the table were for the council to keep managing the market, while asking traders to dispose of waste at their own cost, or giving traders notice of the intention to close the market.

Based on the average number of attendees the current income target for the market of £27,757 is unachievable, with the most recent year actually generating £17,550 .