60-year-old business left fearing for future over market hall's grand revamp issues update

Shaws Fruit & Vegetables recently voiced fears about potential new lease terms and opening hours at Colne’s indoor market hall. The building will reopen this May after a £3.5million redevelopment using Levelling-Up cash. Plans include a new food hall area along with traditional stalls.

Shaws is among a number of market businesses which were relocated by Pendle Council to allow construction work at the hall. When the building reopens, traditional market stalls will remain under the council’s management but a new food hall area will be run by a company called the Market Quarter Group.

Recently on social media, Shaws said it feared ‘totally new terms were not tenable’ at the revamped hall. It said it had been trading for 60 years but faced uncertainty about its future Colne base.

However, in an update Shaws said: “We’ve had a positive meeting about going back into the market. A few points are still to be ironed-out over what we require as a business, which for us are non-negotiable. But trading times do not seem to be an issue, now.

“In the talks, the other parties understood certain grievances we had and have come to a solution. We will be allowed to trade as and when we deem fit.

“We’re having another meeting to look at a lease agreement. The operators would like to run monthly rolling leases. But we need a fixed lease for stability. Month-to-month is not possible for us.”

Shaws said different people in the talks had been ‘understanding’ and wanted the fruit-and-veg business back in the market. But discussions were taking time.

This week, a Pendle Council spokesperson said: “Existing Colne market traders will continue to pay their current rent for the first 18 months after moving back into the modernised market hall. Rents will be reviewed at the end of that period.

“Market Quarter Group will oversee the food and drink [food court] offering. It has a proven track record of market hall regeneration, with expertise in food and drink courts. This includes the highly successful Congleton Market Quarter in Cheshire.”

Separately, Coun Ash Sutcliffe, a Pendle councillor who runs a shop elsewhere in Colne town centre, said: “There were some initial concerns with the new operations at the market but I think that is natural because everybody will have their own view about how best to run it. However, the important thing is to have good, open discussions and, I hope, reach a fully amicable solution.

“It’s also important to note that Shaws did not have a problem with the price of rent, as has been alluded to by many members of the public. As a councillor, I have always said that we will have support for traders as they transition into the new market hall space.”

Barnfield Construction has officially handed the market hall keys back to Pendle Council, marking its completion of the major refurbishment.