Decision details

The Cabinet considered an update continuing work to improve the Market Place and to seek authority to market Council assets in the Market Place to attract a strong ‘anchor’ to boost footfall and improve trading conditions in the wider area, and agreed that:-

·         progress made with new short term management operation for the Markets be noted;

·         authorisation be give to the initiation of a procurement process for longer term management operator/s for the remaining market assets (Covered Market Hall, Outdoor Market and 20th Century Stores) to take effect from 1st April 2018 for a period of five to seven years);

·         approval be given to the commencement of marketing and letting of The Produce Hall and Blackshaws Café, and the ground floor of No 18 – 19 Market Place, in the event of agreement with MMU to surrender use thereof, to users who would act as an ‘anchor tenant/s’ in the Market Place with a further report to be presented on the outcome of this exercise prior to any arrangements being entered into;

·         the development of a markets and animation strategy that would contribute to the regeneration of the wider Town Centre be noted;

·         authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration and the Deputy Chief Executive in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Reform & Governance and Economy & Regeneration to agree the terms of any occupational interests at each of the Council owned assets in the Market Place (except The Covered Market Hall); and

·         the Head of Legal and Democratic Governance be authorised to do all things necessary or incidental to the implementation of the above resolutions.

None