Bradford markets to overlap later this year

Darley Street Market is due to open later this year

Some stallholders will remain in Bradford's Kirkgate Market once the new Darley Street Market opens later this year, the council has said.

The modern, three-storey market is set to replace the existing ones in Oastler Centre and Kirkgate Centre.

Bradford Council has previously said the two other markets would shut once Darley Street Market opens, with some of the existing traders moving to the new building.

However, the authority has now said there will be a period when there will be traders in both Darley Street and Kirkgate.

It will ultimately replace Kirkgate and Oastler markets

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said traders in Kirkgate Market told them they had recently signed two-year leases for their current stalls, so raised the issue with the council.

A Bradford Council spokesperson, said: “The lease that was issued to traders in January this year was a two-year fixed term, however, either the council or tenant can terminate at any time on two months’ notice.

“At the time, we informed traders in Kirkgate Market that we intend to keep the market open until the end of this year and then to assess matters based on when we required vacant possession of the whole centre.

"This is to allow traders who aren’t moving to the new Darley Street Market to be able to continue trading until vacant possession is needed.”

'Trading opportunities'

The spokesman added: ”There will be a period where Kirkgate Market will remain open at the same time as Darley Street Market.

“This will provide short-term trading opportunities for those existing traders from both Oastler and Kirkgate Market who were either unsuccessful or did not apply for a stall in Darley Street Market.”

Bradford Council owns the Kirkgate Shopping Centre, which includes Kirkgate Market, and the centre is due to be demolished in the coming years to make way for a new “city village” residential development.