Opening of Barnsley’s May Day Green Market marks major milestone for town centre redevelopment

Barnsley’s May Day Green Market has opened for business, marking the completion of the first major step in the £100m town centre redevelopment.

The new temporary market hall features 84 large stalls with specialist display boards, electrical sockets and free Wi-Fi, which provides improved facilities for traders and customers.

Over 40 traders have moved into the new temporary market, which will allow work to begin on the next phase of the Better Barnsley project.

Additional demolition work, and the refurbishment of the Metropolitan Centre which houses the indoor, meat and fish markets will commence early 2017. The Metropolitan Centre will remain open for business whilst the renovations are ongoing.

The Better Barnsley project started with the demolition of the 1970’s former council offices, undertaken by Sheffield-based demolition firm Hague.

Following the demolition, Hague employed Billington Structures, a Barnsley-based firm to design and build a steel podium on the site that attached to the existing concrete columns, to create a level structure for the new May Day Green Market to be built on.

Temporary building specialists, De Boer Structures, then took over the site to create a 2,558 sq. m steel structure that would provide a temporary three-year home for the semi-open market traders.

Cllr Roy Miller, cabinet spokesperson for place said: “The new temporary market looks amazing. Opening the May Day Green Market marks a turning point in the town centre redevelopment.

“We’re making good progress and our plans for the new Public Square and central library are really starting to take shape. The library site demolition will take place from September to December and construction will commence in January 2017.”

Robert Alvarez, commercial sales director for De Boer, added: “It has been inspiring to work with Barnsley Council and to see the commitment that their team have to keeping the markets functioning through the planned works to redevelop the centre of Barnsley.

“De Boer is delighted to have been involved, providing a market hall that will provide a temporary home for the traders over the next three years.

Henry Boot Construction Limited, the main contractor for the Better Barnsley project, completed the interior fit out, the external works and will provide a permanent presence in Barnsley throughout the scheme.

This will include the construction of retail, leisure and market space, along with areas for food and drink, a new library and new landscaped public open space (the Market Square), following the demolition of existing buildings.

Ryan O’Loughlin from Henry Boot Construction Limited, said: “We are delighted to have completed the fit out to the first new build project on the Better Barnsley development.

“The team worked tirelessly to meet a challenging programme and their efforts have been rewarded with a high quality market that the people of Barnsley can be proud of.”

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