Extension for food court site due for demolition

The Bustler Market site was meant to be demolished this summer

A food court which operates from a former chocolate factory earmarked for demolition has been given an extension.

Bustler Market in Derby has been based at The Chocolate Factory site in John Street since 2020, but had been told its current home would be demolished by 12 June as part of the Castleward regeneration scheme.

Derby City Council said it was working on planning for the fifth phase of the residential redevelopment scheme, which includes the Bustler Market site, but it had decided to allow it to remain "as long as possible".

Andy Darke, Bustler Derby's events director, said the council had found "wiggle room" to grant an extension.

He added: "The nature of Bustler and similar businesses, up until a few years ago, have always been in 'meanwhile' spaces.

"A lot of street food markets started off in car parks and places like that.

"We were in a meanwhile space by the bus station, a meanwhile space down the road on John Street, and when we moved here, we knew that eventually it was part of the development.

"Obviously everything has changed around us, it's now completely residential, whereas it wasn't before.

"We have been grateful to be pushed back into the last phase of that and there was just a little bit of extra room, and they're happy to have us as tenants for a little bit longer."

Castleward is a £100m "urban village" redevelopment of the largely industrial land between Derby Midlands Railway Station and the city centre, which has been ongoing in phases since it was approved in 2012.

A spokesperson for Derby City Council said the latest phase of the "key, long-term" project "is progressing well", and the planning application for the next phase is being prepared.

The spokesperson added: "We made the decision along with Compendium – the developers of the site - to extend Bustler's lease and allow them to continue trading in their current home for as long as possible."

'We're looking'

The news means Bustler can now run events for the rest of 2025 including its Beer and Burger Festival and a programme of Christmas parties.

In addition, through 2024 and this summer Bustler has been holding events around Derbyshire as well as at The Chocolate Factory.

Mr Darke said this will continue as Bustler searches for a new permanent location.

He said: "Our space is a little bit of a freak in the city centre really, we'd be naïve to think we could be able to find another space with as much room as this.

"But we are optimistic and dynamic, and we're constantly looking."