Clitheroe Market upgrades to start ‘as soon as possible’ but must avoid vital December days
Upgrades to a Lancashire market are due to start imminently but Christmas celebrations are expected to cause some delays.
Improvements to Clitheroe Market should begin ‘as soon as possible’ but work will have to avoid important trading days in December in the lead-up to Christmas, councillors are being told.
Proposals for the town’s market area include resurfacing work, upgrades of stalls, chemical cleaning of cabins, lighting and toilet improvements.
An update on the £250,000 scheme was given to Ribble Valley councillors this week at the borough’s Health & Housing Committee.
Cash is coming from the national UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which was established by the previous Conservative government after Brexit.
Originally, a sum of £100,000 was earmarked in 2023 for the market but the allocation was increased this spring and summer to £250,000, owing to rising quotes and other factors.
Separately, future decision-making powers regarding the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – about whether decisions are taken at borough or county level – are among the debating points in the current disputed Lancashire devolution plan. Ribble Valley Council wants future decisions kept locally.
Meanwhile, the council’s Clitheroe Market update states: ”Two tenders were received for the resurfacing works and the preferred contractor has been identified. The contractor has visited the market with the council’s head of engineering and spoken to some of the traders.
“The following has been made clear to the contractor: Work should commence as soon as possible however no work which could be disruptive to the operation of the market, for example material cutting, will be allowed on market days. No works will be undertaken in December on market days. Access to the permanent cabins shall always be maintained and the market will not close.”
The report adds: “Some of the casual stalls will need to be removed to allow some of the resurfacing works. The contractor is considering options to enable these stalls to remain at the sites for as long as possible to reduce any disruption for the permanent traders who use these stalls.”
The contractor will draw-up a programme of work to be shared with different council committees, as part of the next UK Shared Prosperity Fund update, and market traders.
The contractor will also be invited to the next traders’ meeting which the council’s economic development director, Nicola Hopkins, to answer any queries traders may have.
Two quotes have been received for the refurbishment of stalls and further quotes have been requested, councillors are being advised.
The intention is to schedule stall refurbishment with the sequence of re-surfacing to reduce disruption and meet funding deadlines set by the government.
Permanent cabins have been chemically-cleaned and quotes have been obtained to replace windows at the market office.