Traders excited ahead of Derby's Market Hall reopening
Traders who have signed up for units at Derby's transformed Market Hall say it heralds a new era for the city centre.The market closed for a £35.1m refurbishment in 2021 and is set to reopen on 24 May.The city council says the venue will be a flexible space that incorporates a modern street food dining area and bars, traditional and contemporary retail units, and creative spaces for artisan makers and traders.Many of those who have signed up have never traded in markets before and say the reopening presents a unique opportunity.
Steph Biggs and Dan Bacon currently have one of the shortest commutes in the country. Their clothing business, Layer, operates from a modern shed at the bottom of their garden in Long Eaton, Derbyshire. But the couple, who currently sell their range at running events and shows, are now taking the plunge and have signed up for a unit at the Market Hall. "It feels like there might be more of a boutique-style feel about it and I hope that comes across," said mum-of-one Steph."I hope we're going to stand out and I think we're going to make a good impression on everyone who comes through those doors and into the Market Hall".Her partner is equally optimistic, telling the BBC: "I feel really excited, actually. I feel it's the next step for us."It's been two years of growth and learning and I think we get to put all of that together when we go into the Market Hall".
It has been a mixed picture for the UK's markets in recent years.Down the A52 in Nottingham the city council announced it was closing the Victoria Centre market after years of falling sales.Yet other towns such as Stockport in Greater Manchester have seen a boost after work to refurbish markets.
Nico Sgro is another of those opening a business in the Market Hall.The design engineer, who is originally from Bergamo in Italy, has been making gelato - Italian ice cream - as a hobby and will now offer a choice of 12 flavours from his unit, including pistachio and salted caramel."I had thought about opening a shop but the opportunity at the market came along at just the right time," he said."I feel really excited about the opening but also a real sense of responsibility as I'll be taking on staff."
George's Cheeky Pancakes is another business which is taking on its first retail outlet.George Tsagurnis, from Ilkeston, set up his business during the Covid pandemic and has been selling poffertjes (Dutch-style pancakes) and Stroop waffles at festivals and shows."It's a fantastic opportunity to really grow our business and take it to the next step," he said."I've been inside the Market Hall and I was in awe of the place."It's a beautiful glass-ceiling Victorian building and we can't wait to get going."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Auto Car
43 minutes ago
- Auto Car
BREAKING: Renault Group boss Luca de Meo steps down
Close Luca de Meo has stepped down from his role as the CEO of Renault Group after five years in the role. The Italian joined the French company from Seat-Cupra five years ago, and his Renaulution business plan, involving the revival of the Renault 5 as an EV, an influx of new SUVs and the transformation of Alpine into an electric performance brand, has been view as pivotal in reviving the firm's fortunes. Breaking news. Full story to follow
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Three ways latest Middle East crisis could make life more expensive in the UK
One of the big lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was how a war hundreds of miles away can have an impact on daily life in the UK. As the price of a barrel of oil shot up, so did our energy bills, and the cost-of-living crisis that was already hitting households hard was exacerbated. It now appears that Iran and Israel are on the path towards a full-scale regional war, with neither country paying much attention to international calls for calm heads. As death tolls rise and destruction spreads, many Brits will be concerned about where it's all going to end – and wonder if we're likely to see a repeat of three years ago. Asked if the government could step in to pay steep energy bills, as the Conservatives did in 2022, Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the BBC: 'I'm not taking anything off the table.' However, she cautioned: 'We're not anywhere near that stage at the moment – indeed, in July, average energy bills are going to come down by about £100 a year.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Unsurprisingly, events in the Middle East – one of the world's top oil producing regions – have an impact on the price of oil. Following Israel's attack on Iranian nuclear and military sites on Friday, the cost of a price of a barrel of oil jumped sharply. But there's a risk the knock-on effects for Brits are much more broad. The increase in energy prices largely resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was so significant, the government decided to step in and offer an 'energy price guarantee'. If it had not, the price cap for bills could have been pushed north of £4,000 for the typical household. The invasion pushed oil prices to almost $130 a barrel, meaning costs to suppliers soared, and that was passed down to customers. After an initial jump of 10% after Israel's first strikes on Friday, the cost of a barrel of oil has dropped back to $75 – lower than it was in January. But the big question is whether this conflict will continue for more than a few days or a couple of weeks. That could result in higher prices on a more sustained level, which could feed through to bills. The Bank of England's base interest rate has a direct impact on households across the country, as it is widely used to set the interest rate on mortgages. It's also used by the Bank to try and push down inflation when it gets a bit too high – when the interest rate is increased, people spend less in the economy, which brings down inflation. Since inflation in the UK has fallen from its extreme high in 2022, the Bank has steadily decreased its interest rate over the past year, easing the pressure on people with a mortgage to pay. But high energy prices mean items in shops get more expensive, and if they become more expensive than they were a year ago – well, that's the definition of inflation. Dr Muhammad Ali Nasir, an Associate Professor in Economics at the University of Leeds, explained the potential impact. He told Metro: 'If the increase in energy prices causes another round of sharp increase in inflation, the central bank could change the direction of their policy and start to increase the interest rates again, causing more pain to the household and firms in terms of their borrowing costs.' A sustained increase in energy prices would be enough to increase the cost of a weekly shop in the UK on its own. But that's not the only way the conflict between Israel and Iran could have an impact. There have been concerns Iran could try to block the Strait of Hormuz, a vital supply line for global oil as it links the oil fields of the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and wider ocean. But Dr Nasir suggested events could lead Iran's Houthi allies to step up their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, which leads to the Suez Canal. He said: 'This could be a massive shock to global trade which is already suffering due to the [US-China] trade war. On top of that, the economist said there is a 'sharp increase in the uncertainty around the economic and trade policy due to the conflict' as the world wonders what will happen next. 'Overall, this conflict is the last thing the global economy wants at the moment,' he said, before adding: 'Of course, loss of human life is an even bigger issue.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: All 9 countries on the UK Foreign Office 'no go' travel list MORE: Is it safe to travel to Cyprus? Latest Foreign Office tourist advice after Israel strikes Iran MORE: UK advises against all travel to Israel after conflict with Iran escalates
Libya Herald
4 hours ago
- Libya Herald
Libyan Italian Forum for Development and Reconstruction to be held in Benghazi from 25 to 26 June
The Benghazi Chamber of Commerce announced that the Libyan Italian Forum for Development and Reconstruction will be held in Benghazi from 25 to 26 June. The event is jointly organised by the Libyan Development and Reconstruction Fund, headed by the Hafter family, and the Libyan Italian Chamber of Commerce. Benghazi Chamber says the forum comes within the framework of strategic partnerships in the development and reconstruction sectors and national efforts aimed at advancing reconstruction and stimulating economic growth by launching this pioneering qualitative initiative represented in organizing the Libyan-Italian Forum for Development and Reconstruction. The initiative is also a practical embodiment of the Libyan state's orientation towards building effective international partnerships, attracting capital and value-added projects in a way that enhances the path of national reconstruction, and consolidates Libya's presence as an attractive destination for investment in the region. Benghazi Chamber says this event represents a pivotal milestone in the Libyan-Italian cooperation process, and a unique opportunity to explore investment and partnership prospects in vital sectors, including infrastructure, energy, services, and technology. It highlights Libya as a promising destination regaining its position as an emerging regional hub for development.
