Northgate: Chester's long wait for market ends at last

The new site features 40 market stalls

After many years of ups and downs, setbacks and false dawns, part of the long-running Northgate project in Chester will finally soon be here.

The plans have been in the works for about 20 years and what the scheme would include has changed in that time.

The first phase will include a new market to replace the ageing 1960s building it is currently housed in.

The old market closed its doors on 15 October to give the traders time to relocate to the new building.

The huge new site will feature 40 stalls and has been described as a "modern, traditional market".

Unlike some areas which have chosen to run markets solely as places for eating and drinking, the council is keen to maintain the traditional market stalls along with more contemporary food and drink traders.

And there is a sense of excitement in the city ahead of the grand opening next month.

A special preview weekend is set to welcome guests and all tickets were allocated within hours.

The past

The old market opened in 1967

Chester is a city with a proud history of markets.

It was first granted a charter for a market in 1159 and its first permanent market building opened in 1692.

This was replaced with a grand Victorian building, designed to complement the town hall, but this was demolished in 1967 and replaced by a building which houses the market and Forum shopping centre.

The traders

Butcher Geoff Hughes says the new market will be great for the city

Geoff Hughes runs Geoff Hughes Family Butcher and has spent 46 years working in the market.

He started as a Saturday boy at the age of 14 and opened his own business with his wife in October 1996.

He said he had seen "many, many changes" over the years.

"We've had some great times, we've had some rough times," he said.

"Covid, BSE. But we've battled on through them all and will carry on again."

Mr Hughes said it would be sad to leave the current building but he is looking forward to the future.

"I think it's going to be great for the city," he said. "I think it'll be buzzing in there."

Stephanie Peters says her work has seen a lot of blood, sweat and tears

Stephanie Peters runs the Pastry Pédaleur bakery, setting up her business two years ago.

She runs her entire bakery operation from a single unit, with ovens, mixers and all equipment in the same space. Her new unit will be 20% bigger.

"All the blood, sweat, tears, butter and sugar that I've been putting in, it's going to go to the new market and I wouldn't have it any other way," she said.

"I'm a small bootstrap business and having this space in the market has been the ultimate platform for me and I can't wait to see my business grow and take it to the next level."

She added she hopes the mix of food traders will put Chester on the global map when it comes to food.

Trader Ray Morris is excited by the new project

Ray Morris, who runs the Market Cafe, has been waiting almost 20 years for this moment.

"We heard about this market and that there's a potential move, so we'd have a year in here then move to a new unit," he said.

That was 19 years ago, and Mr Morris said he was "always waiting for something to happen".

He added: "I took over this cafe for this reason and to see it happening for real now is really exciting for me."

Northgate: A history

2000: The then-Chester City Council and a developer reveal plans to redevelop the Northgate area of the city with a new performing arts centre, shops, market and library.

2008: The project was put on hold due to the financial crisis

2012: Cheshire West and Chester Council cuts ties with developer and decides to work on the project itself

2015: New plans drawn up with department store

2018: Department store House of Fraser pull out

2019: Green light for latest plans

2020: Construction work begins

The council

Councillor Richard Beacham remembers the earlier version of Northgate

Richard Beacham is Cheshire West and Chester Council's cabinet member for the economy and regeneration.

He remembers being excited about the scheme before being elected.

"I used to run a free magazine in Chester and I remember reporting on an earlier version of Northgate and being really really excited about it," he said.

"Now to be the cabinet member and seeing a different version of that happening I'm just really really proud for the city, really pleased that it's actually here."

But what would Mr Beacham say to people who might have thought Northgate would never happen?

"It has been a project that's been going on for a long, long time so you can understand why some people would be sceptical," he said.

"But what I've noticed over time is that as the diggers have arrived, more people are very positive about it and as I talk to people in the city they're really really pleased that this happened."

The future

The market is only one phase of Northgate and there are more plans for the future.

The council has purchased the whole area around the market.

"We'll be putting forward a future phase of Northgate which could include residential, could include workspace," said Mr Beacham.

"Something that supports the city centre and supports other areas with people living here working here eating here and enjoying what it means to be in Chester."

Chester's new market opens to the public on Tuesday 8 November.