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Millions to be spent on market renovations

Ellen Knight
BBC Radio Shropshire
BBC Linzy has shoulder-length bloned hair with a fringe. She is pictured smiling and looking into the camera. She's wearing a blue top with pink flowers and a white knitted cardigan. She's stood on am upstairs mezzanine of an indoor market, which has green wrought iron pillars and a white roof. Beyond Linzy you can see the tops of the market stalls. BBC
Linzy Evans runs a stall in the market and said she is "apprehensive" about the plans

Wellington Market will undergo more than a year of renovations as part of a £4 million project to "safeguard" its future, the local authority has said.

Telford and Wrekin Council unveiled their plans this week to carry out structural repairs, as well as revamping stalls and the market layout.

Works are due to begin in June 2025 and will last for 14 months, with the project receiving funding from the government.

The market has been running for more than 780 years, and is home to more than 50 shops, as well as cafes and a food court.

Linzy Evan who runs jewellery stall Off the Wall in the market said she was "apprehensive" about changes being made.

"I think [the plans] look very nice, and that a lot of thought has gone into it," she said.

"Keeping the character of the market, that bit I'm pleased with."

Ms Evans said she was "a bit worried" the new stalls would not suit her business, which sells jewellery and hosiery.

She admitted that the market looks "tired" and "needs tidying up and painting".

"But as far as the stalls are concerned, most of them are good quality and have been there for 50 years and are still standing."

Picture of a mock-up sketch of the market hall. It's a black and white sketch on a white backdrop, with 'proposed visuals' written at the top and 'internal view over low gondolas' written at the bottom.
One of the changes would include 'gondola'-style stalls for fresh produce sellers

Sally Themans, from business consultancy Good2Great which runs Love Wellington, said markets "present a huge draw to a town", encouraging entrepreneurship among locals, as well as promoting tourism.

"We want to compete with Chester, Shrewsbury, and Altrincham [markets], and create a thoroughly modern, relevant market for the twenty-first century," she added.

Sally pictured smiling slightly and looking into the camera. She has short grey hair and is wearing a navy blue top and a silver necklace. To her right is a mock-up drawing of the market after a refurb - it's drawn in pencil, like a sketch, and shows a food court.
Sally Themans said markets are really important parts of towns like Wellington

Ms Themans said the response from traders to the announcement has been "on the whole, incredibly positive".

She noted that Telford and Wrekin Council is planning to keep the market open whilst works are taking place.

"These are people's livelihoods and they want to protect those as much as they can," she said.

The project has government funding and is part of wider investment into Wellington, including turning the former YMCA building into apartments.

Oswestry-based contractors Pave Aways were appointed by the council in February this year.

Commercial director Victoria Lawson said it is "really important" that the market's original pillars and structure is "contained within the vision" for its future.

She added that it is vital the market "retains its identity".

"It's about making sure we can draw more people in and bring more people to Wellington."

Victoria has long brown hair and is pictured smiling and looking into the camera. She's wearing a black shirt and has sunglasses on the top of her head. Behind her you can see a picture of the proposed market stall refurbs.
Victoria Lawson said the contractors would be making sure to preserve the market's heritage

In a statement, the leader of Telford and Wrekin Council, Cllr Lee Carter, said: "Wellington Market is a real jewel in the crown here in Telford and Wrekin and part of our borough's history."

He added that it is "essential that we carry out this investment work now, otherwise the market's future is in serious jeopardy".

Cllr Carter noted the market currently has "significant property defects" and is in "overall poor condition," hence the need for repairs.

"These are exciting times for Wellington Market and we can't wait to see a revitalised market which people can be proud of," he said.

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