'A whole new chapter for West Bromwich' - Queues out of the door as new indoor market opens to the public

The new indoor market, based in High Street, opened for business at 9am today (August 27), officially marking a new era for shoppers and traders in the town and replacing the old indoor market in Kings Square.

The new market is also one of the centrepieces of Sandwell Council’s West Bromwich Masterplan, created to deliver a modern and vibrant destination for both traders and shoppers. 

Sandwell Council called it a great example of collaboration, the projecty being made possible due to £2.61 million funding from the Government’s Towns Fund programme, which is supporting regeneration and investment in towns across the country, and £2.03 million funding from the borough council.

Ahead of the official opening, people could be seen queueing down the street as they waited for the chance to see the new market, visit the stalls which had opened and take a look at the new food court, with the site combining traditional market stalls with contemporary facilities.

The new food court offers diverse cuisines including East Asian, Sri Lankan, Caribbean, hot pork sandwiches and freshly made doughnuts, with its centrepiece being a West Bromwich staple in Firkins Bakery, which had previously served the town and the rest of Sandwell with award-winning pork pies, lemon iced buns and a whole range of much-loved cakes, breads and pastries for generations before closing in 2015.

Its return to the market saw queues out of the doors and nostalgia shared by those in the queue, many of whom could remember visiting Firkins when they were younger, while others were keen to use the free voucher they'd been given as one of the first 200 people to come in.

Managing director of Firkins, Rob Green, said the reopening in West Bromwich marks a new chapter for the bakery, reconnecting with its roots while continuing to offer the quality and tradition that generations of families have cherished.

He said: "We’ve been overwhelmed by the continued affection for Firkins over the years. 

"It feels only right to return to West Bromwich, where the story began, and bring back the flavours and memories that so many people still talk about with fondness."

The market is also home to butchers, fishmongers, Caribbean food supplies, beauty services, cosmetics and perfume, curtains, mobile phone repairs, as well as clothes, haberdashery and pet food supplies.

The mood among traders who had set up shop at the new market was good, with Dave Griffiths from Dave's Pets saying he was pleased to see a new and modern facility with a great atmosphere.

He said: "It's a fantastic, lovely and modern facility with plenty of choice for people to come in, have a coffee and something to eat, sit down and enjoy themselves in a nice environment.

"It's very different to the old market, which was built in 1973 and was so antiquated, so we needed a change and this is much better and was desperately needed because this part of the town has been forgotten about."

Terry Petty has been a part of the market scene in West Bromwich for 52 years, running his stall Petty & Coles Perfumes, Cosmetics & Hair Accessories, and said it was great to see the council invest in a more modern market.

He said: "I think it looks really good and I do think it's going to be really popular as the people up here are quality and friendly people, so I think this will be a great success.

"West Bromwich desperately needed a new and modern market and fair crack to the council as they put their money where their mouths were and put in the investment.

"I don't think markets will ever die because there's always certain things that you'll need that you can't get at a store, so a market is a great place to find things and, in our case, get it for you if we haven't got it."

Council leader Councillor Kerrie Carmichael was present to meet people and see the market for herself. She said that it was great to see the market open after 10 months of work and the investment that had gone into it.

She said: "When I first walked in, I thought it was marvellous, to be honest, and 100 per cent better than the previous indoor market, so this is a proper regeneration for the people of Sandwell and another part of the Sandwell story.

"I also can't believe the queue for Firkins as I grew up with Firkins, being from Sandwell, and I think it's going to be really popular here - I'm looking forward to getting a pineapple tart!

"This market is going to regenerate the High Street as we're going to get people in and have a good footfall up and down the High Street, so it's going to be a whole new chapter for West Bromwich."