Market Hall's massive facelift

The ambitious plan to revamp the hall and convert it into a ultra-modern mall full of big name shops has been submitted to Bolton Council.

If the plan is approved, the basement of the Victorian building will be developed to give the Market Hall three levels of shopping. An additional impressive glass-fronted extension at the Bridge Street entrance will be built where a minimum of 12 retail units will be created. work is likely to start in spring 2006 and will take two years to complete.

But the announcement of the redevelopment has left more than 70 traders currently based in the Market Place fearing for their futures.

They claim that if the plans are accepted, many traders, which have been around for generations, would lose their stalls with the loss of up to 400 jobs.

And one trader today said: "These businesses were worth £200,000 at the start of the week. Today they are worth nothing."

London based architects Van Heyningen and Haward say that the proposals will restore the Grade Two listed building, dating back to 1855, to its former Victorian glory.

They say work carried out will be sympathetic to the structure, and the history of the building will be respected.

Bolton Council Leader, Cllr Barbara Ronson, said: "The Market Hall is a landmark building in Bolton and one we are proud of, so we are looking forward to seeing a sympathetic alteration to the building.

"As the current landlord of the Market Hall we have a close working partnership with the Market Place to ensure all interested parties are consulted and considered."

But traders are furious that they were not consulted about the plans, which will leave around 12 units for market stalls.

Some say they will have to re-mortgage their houses to pay off staff and be stuck with business loans they can not afford to pay.

Mr David Woods co-ordinator for the Market Hall Tenants' Association said: "It's really difficult for everyone here. Traders have to pay staff redundancy and some have staff have worked for them for 15 to 20 years and have become personal friends. This will bankrupt some of traders who are already saying they have to re-mortgage their houses.

It's devastating."

He added: "The historic Market Hall will become home to the usual set of national retailers that can be found in any town centre in the country. Uniformity will replace individuality and Bolton will be poorer for it."

Scowcroft's baby stall has been on the market for 110 years and for the past 40 years has been run by Simon Hunt's family.

Mr Hunt, aged 43, said: "I have a customer who is 83 and her Christening robe was bought here. She has since bought robes for all the generations of her family and will be devastated with this news.

"This is our livelihood and we are being forced out. They are going to charge extortionate rents, ones that we can't afford. I already pay £500 a week for rent -- you'd be looking at three times that with the new place.

"This is men in grey suits with grey minds making these decisions."

Philip Iliff, aged 45, a father-of-two, bought Davies Sweets two-and-a-half years ago for £65,000.

He said: "The market managers mentioned nothing about a redevelopment when I bought this. I employ five people and have an eight-year business loan that I have to pay off. I feel let down."

Chris Brayshaw, aged 30, has recently taken over Matisse's Umbrella World from his dad Reg. The stall has been in his family for four generations.

He said: "Bolton needs to be brought up-to-date but not at the cost of the traders.

"This business used to be worth a lot of money but I don't know if we can survive in the new development. This will make Bolton no different to any other town, it won't be unique any more." Derek Pilling and his wife Valerie have run the Spencer Marris cake decoration stall for the past 40 years.

His specialist business attracts visitors from as far as the Lake District.

Mr Pilling is concerned about the future of the Market Hall. "It is not just relocation, but what the rents will be for those who can stay," he said.

Town Centre company manager Cathy Savage: "The plan looks good and we do need the redevelopment to keep Bolton at the top of shopping developments in the North-west.

"But we also have a lot of sympathy with how the plans will affect bsuinesses because we are here to represent businesses in Bolton town centre.

"I hope that we will be involved in future decisions for businesses and how they will be affected and because we are based in the Market Place we will also be affected."

Market Place manager Rod Neasham said he hoped the redevelopment would "make shoppers think twice before visiting other destinations."

He said: "Bolton has fallen behind in recent years, but this injection will put Bolton back on the shopping map. It is the biggest thing to happen in Bolton town centre since the Market Place was built."

Mr Neasham said meetings are planned with traders to find alternative premises for them, but said it was difficult to say how many would get different premises as they would be judging each case individually."

Stuart Knight, Bolton Council's assistant director, of corporate property services, said: "Like other towns and cities of a similar size, it is imperative that Bolton continues to improve and develop its retail facilities in an increasingly competitive environment. It is vital that the town centre is appealing and attractive to shoppers and visitors.

"This development is at the planning application stage and there is a long way to go with the project."

He added: "The Market Hall is an important part of Bolton's heritage and of its future. The architects have a track record for working on this type of historic project and there has been close consultation with English Heritage."

The planning application has been submitted to Bolton planners by the Agora Shopping Centres Fund, set up by a partnership between Warner Estate Holdings plc and the Bank of Scotland.