City's last private market to close after 94 years

The land is up for auction with a guide price of £450,000

A city's last privately owned market has closed, 94 years after it first opened.

Conran Street Market, in Harpurhey, Manchester, has been put up for auction, with a £450,000 guide price, by owners Northern Markets.

Auctioneers told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it could become "much-needed new housing to be built" if Manchester City Council gives planning consent.

A Northern Markets spokesman said: "The infrastructure was not right. It was not financially viable to refurbish it. Incomings and outgoings did not match, because we were losing money every day it was open."

The market's demise has left Mark Nelson "destroyed".

"Everyone looked after each other," said Mr Nelson, who has worked on Northern's markets for 40 years.

"Back in the day, custom was really good," he added.

Former trader Zoe Jones lamented the loss of the market and the camaraderie among traders.

"It was a community in itself," she said.

Trader Mark Nelson says he is "destroyed" by the decision to close the market

Regular customers Lorraine Cooper, Deborah Hooson, and William Fox called the market's closure "sad", "terrible", and a "shame".

"We used to go twice a week," Lorraine said. "It was lovely and friendly. You would get cheaper stuff. It's where people would go to socialise."

Another former regular, Kay, added: "A lot of people have lost their livelihood.

"It's sad for the area. It's a close community. We have lost a lot of friends."