Is Derby's new Market Hall a 'disappointment'?

One worker said footfall was "dire" two months after the reopening of the market

It was met with excitement from traders when it reopened in May - but two months on, is it a different story for Derby's new Market Hall?

More than 34,000 people visited the indoor market in its first three days, but some businesses have told the BBC footfall had since "dropped off a cliff".

Dawn Smith, 72, who works at second-hand shop Preloved, said: "It's been absolutely dire. Since the Market Hall opened, they didn't think it out."

A spokesperson for Derby City Council said footfall had recently improved and that a "new wave of traders" would be announced in the coming weeks.

Some of the units inside the Market Hall are still unoccupied

Steve Hassall, leader of Derby Conservatives, told BBC Radio Derby: "It's a beautiful building, it's been very tastefully done. I don't think it has the draw that it needs at the moment.

"It is not achieving its ability and its potential. I've been in several times. I have to say it's been fairly quiet."

Ms Smith added: "It's down to the council. Marketing was absolutely dire."

Some traders said the market needed time to develop, but others - and some customers - felt it lacked the atmosphere of a traditional market.

The new Market Hall, shown here on 28 May

One trader said that after the opening weekend, footfall had "dropped off a cliff".

The owners of Layer UK, a sportswear company which occupied a unit, posted a video on Facebook explaining that they had decided to leave.

The post read: "It was sudden, but it was the right thing for us and for Layer. The truth is, our goals just didn't align with the Market Hall - and that's OK."

Val, 68, and Mike, 72, visited with their grandson, but told BBC Radio Derby they would not come back any time soon.

Mike said: "This is our first visit and I'm very disappointed in it. It's lacking, there's hardly anybody there. The play area for the children is good. But it's disappointing."

Val added: "I was very disappointed. I expected it to be bustling with lots of different stalls and there's very few people in there.

"We've waited all this time for it to reopen and it's a damp squib. It's just a lot of unused space and I feel sorry for the traders."

Dawn Smith said the council needed to do more to advertise the market

Lucas Rayner, 28, who works at a food stall called SHIO, said: "The footfall could be better. Us ourselves are managing to just about stay busy enough."

Darren Ward, 59, who runs craft pop-up stall DC Designs, added: "Some days it's good, but 80% of the time it's not that good.

"People are coming in to drink a coffee and ask the same question all the time, 'it's a market hall, where's the fruit and veg? Where's the haberdashery?'

"I thought it would be better than this, but it's early days, and you've got to keep on going through it."

A spokesperson for the Labour-run city council said: "The recent opening of The Spirit Run Distillery & Bar is having a positive impact on the footfall, as have Dreamfest, and a host of live performances and workshops.

"We are close to announcing an exciting new wave of traders in the coming weeks, some of which cater for a more traditional market offer."

The council added that the completion of Osnabruck Square would offer a "vibrant green space" for customers.