Cornhill market opening announcement is weeks away

The interior of the Cornhill Market in LincolnImage source, Sharon Edwards/BBC
Image caption,

Work on the redeveloped Cornhill Market was finished in November 2023 but an opening date is yet to be announced.

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An opening date for the revamped Cornhill Market in Lincoln is due in the coming weeks, the council said.

The market, previously the Central Market, started a £7m refurbishment in May 2022.

The City of Lincoln Council had previously denied it was struggling to attract stall-holders but delayed the reopening because of construction and weather issues.

The authority said an official launch date would be announced in the "coming weeks".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, 18 businesses have committed to trading at the market and talks with five others are ongoing.

At full capacity, the market will have space for 35 traders.

Image source, LDRS
Image caption,

The City of Lincoln Council is looking for a variety of stall-holders for Cornhill Market.

The revamped market will include a mixture of permanent traders and pop-ups, with hot and cold food as well as retail.

Officials had hoped to open the venue in autumn 2022 but that was pushed back by unseasonably wet weather and further delays from storms, including Storm Babet.

The opening was then rescheduled to align with the now-cancelled Lincoln Christmas Market in December.

But further, unspecified delays then pushed the launch to "early 2024".

Kate Ellis, Director of Major Developments at City of Lincoln Council, said: “We are excited to welcome a fantastic and diverse selection of traders which will enhance the city’s daytime and evening economy.

“We look forward to announcing a confirmed opening date for the market in the coming weeks.”

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