Government announces £10m funding for Stafford indoor market

Plans to bring an indoor market space back to Stafford have received a £10m boost from the Government.

The funding was confirmed by Chancellor John Healey in this week’s Budget (Wednesday) and follows a campaign by Stafford MP Leigh Ingham.

Mr Healey said: “This Labour government is proud to invest in towns like Stafford, and when we talk about growth in every postcode this is exactly what we mean. I know how hard Leigh works for her constituency – brilliant work has already started to regenerate Stafford town centre and create a High Street of the future.”

The county town’s previous indoor market closed two years ago and been demolished, alongside much of the neighbouring Guildhall Shopping Centre. The site is earmarked for regeneration by Stafford Borough Council, which received £14.3m from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund to transform the town in 2021.

A new market hall has been proposed for the former shopping centre site. It is set to provide space for independent businesses including shops, food stalls, cafés and bars, as well as an area for events.

Ms Ingham said: “Stafford is a market town. We should have a market, it’s as simple as that.

“When the market closed, we lost more than somewhere to shop, somewhere to go and something to do. We lost a place where people met and where people had another reason to come into our town centre.

“I’ve spent ages making the case to Government that Stafford deserves better, and I’m delighted that we’ve secured the £10m needed to start putting that right. The market has always been an important part of Stafford’s identity, and securing this funding means we can finally be a proud market town again, with a vibrant destination for residents, visitors and businesses alike.

“People want to see Stafford town centre doing well again. So do I, and this is a bigstep towards making that happen.”

The funding has also been welcomed by Stafford Borough Council leader Aidan Godfrey. He said: “This is fantastic news for Stafford, a major win for our town centre, and contributes directly to the ambitious plans we have set out for the county town.

“We are grateful to Leigh Ingham for her determination in making the case for Stafford, to the Government for recognising the potential of this project, and our council officers who continue to work hard in delivering the biggest transformation in our town centre in a generation.“

Hundreds of people had their say on the council’s blueprint for the redevelopment of town centre sites including the former Guildhall Shopping Centre and Co-op Department store earlier this year, and the results of the public consultation are now being considered. Earlier this month borough councillors heard that proposals for a new market hall had proved particularly popular.

Michelle Smith, the council’s economic growth and strategic partnership manager, said: “The market hall proposal was everybody’s favourite key focal point, partly because there is a real fondness for the original St John’s Market. We had some brilliant stories from people that remembered it, who are in their 70s and 80s.

“It wasn’t just about where you where you could go to buy anything you wanted, it was a social hub, this is where you saw your friends and the town was vibrant as a result. There was also a recognition that it’s not just going to be a like-for-like indoor market, it almost needs to be market plus where you have your food and drink offer and you also have space for entertainment.”