A new proposal for the future of Leicester Market is to go out to consultation today, after work on the city’s market place was paused earlier this year.
The city council is now proposing a scheme that would return Leicester’s historic market to its old site – but would also create a new event space in the heart of the city centre.
Picture credit: Leicester City Council
City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “When I asked for work to be paused so we could reconsider the potential for this wonderful site, I put forward a proposal to relocate the market and transform the market place into a space that would become the focal point for festivals, events and celebrations in Leicester.
“While this was welcomed by many people – including local businesses and representatives of the heritage sector – it was clear that the market traders themselves felt strongly about returning to the site where they’d stood for generations.
“Our design team has now come up with a scheme that would allow the market to return to the traders’ favoured site, while keeping the market place as a flexible space for public events – as it was for hundreds of years.
“We’re now inviting the market traders and people in Leicester to comment on this new proposal. Their feedback will help inform the final decision, paving the way for a scheme that I hope will bring new life to Leicester’s market place and help regenerate the wider area.”
The latest proposal shows a new home for Leicester Market in a light and airy structure, adjacent to the existing food hall.
Automated shutters would secure the market when it was not in use, while its 48 stalls could be fully dismantled and cleared away to provide room for a bar area, for example, if the event space was being used for an outdoor concert.
The whole site would be paved in high-quality porphyry, with colourful planters helping to create an attractive, versatile event space that could host festivals, live music or speciality markets.
With food and drink driving footfall to markets across the country, and to complement the range of produce on sale in the neighbouring food hall, it’s proposed that the new market would also be food-focused, with stalls prioritised for those selling fruit, vegetables and high-quality food from around the world.
“Food is already the cornerstone of what’s on offer at Leicester Market, with around two-thirds of the occupied stalls selling fruit, vegetables and other foods,” said the City Mayor.
“This redevelopment would give us an opportunity to build on that.
“A broader range of quality produce, featuring baked goods or street food, for example, could help shape the vibrant market we all want to create.
“So I’m convinced that Leicester Market does have a bright future. Our role now is to create the right environment for it to thrive – and ensure it provides a unique shopping experience that attracts both visitors and regular shoppers.”
If given the go-ahead, the new event space could be paved and completed by early 2026, with the new market building opening by spring/summer 2027. Traders could continue to operate from Green Dragon Square until then.
The consultation opens today (Monday 28 October) and can be found at consultations.leicester.gov.uk/communications/leicester-market
People have until 23:59 on Monday 9 December to submit their views.
