Excitement ramps up for skatepark at former market

Skaters in Derby like Danny Alton were pleased to hear the plans for the former Eagle Market

Plans to turn part of Derby's former Eagle Market into an indoor skatepark have ramped up excitement among the city's skaters.

The Derbion shopping centre, which owns the old indoor market, said a skate facility would be created alongside padel courts.

And skaters in the city on Tuesday said they were bowled over by the idea.

Danny Alton, 31, said: "I think it's going to do a world of good, especially when it's raining outside and all you want to do is have a break from reality and skate."

Mr Alton began skateboarding in his teens and would often travel to visit indoor skate parks elsewhere.

He said: "Me and my friends would travel to different cities that had indoor skate parks and wooden ones, which were a little less painful on your hips when you fell.

"Young kids who want to learn to skate, it's kind of scary for them to go to outdoor skateparks and just see people there drinking and being reprobates - having something inside is going to push the younger generation."

The Eagle Market shut down in 2023 for redevelopment plans

The new padel and skate venues form part of the transformation of Derbion's Eastern Gateway development, which is the first phase of the larger Eagle Quarter scheme.

The Eagle Market, once one of the largest indoor markets in Europe, closed in July 2023 to make way for the development, which will include a public square connecting the centre to Derby bus station.

James Clark, 47, from Derby, said his son, who used existing outdoor sites like Bass Recreation Ground, would be "made up" at the indoor plan.

He added: "I think there's a fairly healthy skate community in Derby. It'll be a good asset for the town, I would have thought."

One youngster using Bass Recreation Ground said he thought the new skatepark "would be cool"

Derbion hopes the 20,828 sq ft (1,935 sq m) skate park, operated by Flo Skatepark, which shut their Nottingham facility in December, will be open by the autumn.

Mark Deans, chair of Flo Skatepark, said: "This new space will allow us to bring a high-quality skateboarding experience to both new and established skaters across the East Midlands.

"Skateboarding is synonymous with urban environments, and we look forward to using this space to unite sport, culture, and retail as we bring the community closer together."