Putting traders and customers centre stage
Scarborough Market Hall
Revitalisation of a splendid Grade II listed Victorian Market Hall, retaining its use as a market and adding new life and activity, reversing decades of decline to reinstate it as a community asset and valuable marketplace for local independent businesses.
This £2m project repaired the building fabric, created new space with the introduction of a mezzanine and improved accessibility with the inclusion of a lift and new level entrance.
The market had deteriorated through a lack of vision and investment. Group Ginger consulted with longstanding traders, new start-ups and customers to led to understand the operational needs of the market as a retail space, but also the civic and social role that the market plays within Scarborough.
The resulting design puts the experience of traders and customer’s centre-stage, fostering the sense of community and theatre that people love about markets, luring shoppers away from the thrall of online shopping.
The design balances the modest £2M budget with an ambitious brief to deliver additional space, repair the existing building and improve accessibility. A strategic approach prioritised the budget and established a robust design that could be delivered in twelve months, whilst keeping the existing market open to preserve continuity of trade.
Group Ginger’s reinvention does not seek to compete with the handsome Victorian structure, instead adding a contemporary layer. The low-impact new steel mezzanine sits respectfully within the walls of the hall. The mezzanine supports new timber retail units and a dining area, whilst concealing the services for the perimeter food retailers below. New free-standing timber stalls to the market floor allow the full splendour of the vaulted space to be appreciated and offer views of the traders and activity.
A flexible new multifunctional events space allows for temporary trading, pop-up activities and entertainment, creating new opportunities for the building to reclaim its position at the heart of civic life in the town and offering additional revenue streams.
Details
Clients
Scarborough Borough Council
Structural Engineers
Alan Wood & Partners
Construction
Status
Completed 2017
M&E Engineers
Preston Barber
Cost consultant
Michael Eyres & Partners
Where possible low-carbon regenerative materials such as timber have been used. Traditionally, market halls have been unheated spaces and the design philosophy replicates this, with minimal heating only introduced in new mezzanine units aimed at non-traditional market traders such as nail bars and beauticians who have longer dwell times and need warmer space for customer comfort. Long-life loose-fit service strategies enable adaptation, for example variable lighting allows for different colour temperatures and brightness to enhance the presentation of different types of produce. In social terms, the building plays a vital role in the local economy, an outlet for local people to buy from local independent business, reducing transport miles and offering affordable produce in an area where many households are living on the breadline.
