Market traders open in temporary home during work

An event to mark the opening of the traders' temporary home is being held

Traders have moved to a temporary location while a market undergoes a £17.5m refurbishment.

Businesses operating in Barrow Market, in Cumbria, opened their units in The Mall on Dalton Road this week, as two-year-long work on the Market Hall begins.

An official opening of the temporary base is due to take place later, with live family-friendly entertainment.

Westmorland and Furness Council's Steph Cordon said the temporary market was "looking great".

She added the council wanted Barrow town centre to be a place that people could be proud of and "a destination in its own right".

"There is already renewed positivity and energy in the heart of Barrow and projects such as the Market Hall improvements will further strengthen that," she said.

Regeneration scheme

The work on Barrow Market is part of the government-funded Barrow Town Centre Regeneration Scheme, which aims to attract more people into the town centre and boost the local economy.

Some of the traders from Barrow Market would be relocated to the former Meat Hall, the council said.

However, as work is still taking place there for the next few months, these traders will be in special units in the outdoor market on Portland Walk in the meantime.

As part of the project, work will also be carried out on the nearby arts and entertainment venue The Forum to create a community hub.

An outdoor events space is also set for the market square.