By John Baron
West Leeds residents can help shape the future of ‘unsustainable’ Pudsey Market after a public consultation was launched.
Leeds City Council is asking local residents and traders for their views on the future of Pudsey Market and how it can be better supported.
As previously reported by WLD, the consultation follows concerns over declining footfall and trader numbers at the market, which is based in Pudsey town centre.
The council says it wants to make the market sustainable in the long term after being faced with rising costs and low stall rents.
The consultation states sustainability is an issue facing most outdoor markets across the country.
It adds: “The market is no longer financially sustainable as it currently stands, and the market service can no longer support the market financially.
“Rather than just closing the market, we want to explore alternative options first and to do that we want to get your views and ideas by carrying out this consultation with current market traders, local ward members and residents of Pudsey.
“This will help us to better understand what would make you return to, or start to shop, at the market, what type of markets you would like to see or ideas around alternative uses which will generate income and help to attract people back to Pudsey market as well as get it to at least a break-even position.”
The survey asks for ideas for the future and also asks questions about providing ‘alternative’ markets on different days.
- The survey – which can be completed here – is open until Friday, 31 July.
WLD last month ran an editorial about the future of the market, following a Facebook post which attracted more than 300 responses. Ideas to revitalise the market included introducing a night market, providing a roof and the need for more promotion.
Concerns were raised over the lack of long-stay parking in Pudsey, work needed to paint and repair the stalls, some ‘exciting individual/specialised food/drink traders’, a wider variety of traders, introducing fixed, permanent chalet type stalls around the edges and tackling vandalism.
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