Councillors have backed plans to axe around 10 externally run Antique and Artisan markets in Nantwich town centre.
The proposal would see the council stage more live music and children’s activities on the square in their place.
The 12 traditional monthly farmers markets, which are run by the council, will remain in place, as will the Christmas market and two artisan markets organised by the council.
They say axing the externally run ones would save the council almost £2,000.
The council currently makes around £2,100 from the 10 external markets, but they run at a cost of £3,800.
New live music and children’s events – such as the popular Climbing Wall which was staged last year – would be paid from the council’s alternative events budget.
Town Council facilities manager David Thomas told councillors: “It requires a lot of man hours to help these externally delivered markets, so we propose to move away from them and re-introduce more live music and children’s events.
“We’ve tried to recruit casual staff to help with Saturday markets, but finding it very difficult to get people who can start at 6am and commit their Saturdays.
“The children’s events would be free. We tried the Climbing Wall on a Monday earlier this year and was extremely successful.
“We would aim to run these during school and summer holidays as well.”
He said children’s events would be self-contained with no staffing requirements as it would be funded from the “outdoor events budget”.
Mayor Cllr Peter Groves backed the idea and said he would be “delighted” to see more activities for youngsters after the success of the council-backed football and fishing events run by police.
But Cllr John Statham air concerns about cancelling 10 events from the town square.
He said: “I’m conscious we’d be losing 10 days of town square activity for not a lot.
“We should be mindful about going down this road and fact we may have to put more money in to it.”
The majority of town councillors voted to approve the plans.
What a real shame. I really enjoy going to the markets in Nantwich and the bussle it brings to the town on a saturday, as it is dead in the week. Live music events would really put me off going to town on a saturday afternoon. The buskers are great but I wouldn’t want a stage and live bands when I am in town trying to go shopping. I will just go elsewhere.
Although this does not fit the criteria for sensationalism, and is therefore unlikely to be published, the councillors’ vote to stop the markets
HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH COST.
It is, however, due to the health and wellbeing of the small team of employees they have…and the lack of staff. Many of this small team (currently and historically) are frequently found to be working 15 hour plus days in order to work the markets as well as their duties in other buildings – do the people of Nantwich find this a fair swap just to see some stalls in the square that they invariably purchase little from? or do they support the idea that the staff should work 15 hours plus when these markets appear? After all, the traders don’t put up their own gazebos or stalls…they put their stuff out yes, on tables prepared in advance for them. Cost does not factor into the decision… health, wellbeing and a finite number of people available does!
Nantwich market brings charm and a variety of different people. We first came to Nantwich when the antique market was on and decided to move to the town from London. Getting rid of the market would be a huge mistake as its been part of the town.
These markets are well established and make a massive contribution to the vibrancy of Nantwich. It is a BIG mistake to cancel them for the sake of £2k, please revisit your decision councillors, admit you are wrong.
I would have thought that the town council wants to help and support local businesses? Have I got that wrong? I stand regularly at the antique market in the Square. It is lively and busy. Many people tell me they have travelled a distance to visit Nantwich just because the Antique Fair is open on that day. No doubt they spend money in other shops and cafes while they are in town. And they pay to park too. Activities for youngsters are important, of course, but don’t forget older people. Surely the town council wants to support events which are of interest to them too?
Did the town council contact the fair organisers to ask if they would be able to pay higher charges (No doubt by slightly increasing what they charge stand holders)?
Please reconsider this decision. Surely it is not beyond the town council to come up with a way to encourage and support events in the Square for children, while allowing an event much enjoyed by many adult visitors and locals to continue?
We are so disappointed by this decision. The organisers of the antique fairs have been doing this markets and others in Nantwich for 20 years. Imagine how much trade has been brought to the town as a result. This is a great loss to the community and it loses a very special atmosphere and ethos for the town. It surely brings in many tourists to the town. I know someone who travels regularly from Telford and there must be people coming from further afield. I would urge the council to reconsider this decision as it is not a good one
Why not have the children events on a playground near the centre and leave the popular markets alone , a double whammy for attracting folk to the town?
As a small business I rely on doing these markets not everyone can afford a town centre property , I know from people who do have businesses in town that the markets bring in an awful lot of people .
And the organiser of many of the fairs was only notified by email that all her business was being cancelled not even a phone call after all their years of working with the council
But as usual it’s not about the people is it !
Surely Jed Thomas you would apply this to nantwich market too and to the Civic Hall both of which a huge loss makers. Nantwich Market runs at a loss of over £70k annually and the Civic Hall has run at a loss considerably higher than that. How about tackling that huge waste of money first?
Sinc when have these markets been outdated? Food, drink and antiques have never been so popular! Many small businesses rely on trade generated from these markets especially in the current economic climate. Nantwich Council are being short sighted in swapping a meagre saving for potential greater financial losses.
What total and complete fools do these councillors appear to be. Why oh why do we allow these (councillors – I really can’t say the word I’d like to call them!) to govern us/our town. Nantwich is a MARKET town. The clue is in the name! It has been a Market town for over 500 years. People come here because it is a market town – that’s it, that it’s charm/it’s raisin d’etre. You’d have to be stupid to think that changing the whole personality of a town (from a market town – into a children’s playground) won’t have a detrimental affect on the businesses that operate there. I (and many others) won’t go near the place if it’s full of screaming kids! Most Dabbers stay away when the hoards come hither re: Jazz fest etc. But at least those make money for the town! COVID-19 has decimated these small stall holder businesses and instead of supporting them now that they’re back up and running/just getting back on their feet – you (the town council) cause them more financial distress! If you are losing £1700 a year from the 10 markets (less than £170 per month) then simply charge each/every stall holder MORE money! There are more than 40 stalls so that’s less than an extra c. £4 per stall! You gave no fair warning , no indication/notice of closure and so MUST have an ulterior motive for doing this. I’m now going to be there at each and every town council meeting and will be very vocal – you have been warned! I’m still trying to work out what exactly you are getting out of closing down these markets!
Wonder what revenues the soon to be discarded markets bring to local businesses through the “pull” to visitors of having such markets v forecast revenues for the new initiative, how do the numbers stack up please ? Why not simply increase the price for stall holders to ensure Nantwich does not lose money.
It could be sweating the small stuff is a bad choice and focus should be on addressing issues on larger projects which lose significant amount of our money e.g. recent IT project
I THINK IT WOULD BE A SHAME TO CANCEL THE ARTISAN MARKETS AND ANTIQUE FAIRS ETC AS THEY BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO NANTWICH THAT SPEND MONEY AT THE FAIRS CAFES AND SHOPS ETC. I LIVE IN NANTWICH AND LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO THESE FAIRS AND GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE, PLEASE THINK AGAIN, THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER WEEKENDS WIYH NOTHING ON, REGARDS ROB.
The Police to host children’s events, what Police.
bit of a no-brainer The council currently makes around £2,100 from the 10 external markets, but they run at a cost of £3,800.
So those in favour of these outdated markets should really pay more, there are a number of other ways artisan markets and antiques can show their wares, and loss-making days should not be continued
The town centre has to be more than shops, the same old same old each week, it has to be vibrant and become a destination in order to thrive