I HAVE just visited the new Market Hall which has been created in the Rhiw Centre to accommodate the stallholders from the old market which is now closed because RAAC concrete has been found in the roof.
BCBC council has leased an empty unit which is now shared by eight stall holders. Eileen Schofield, who has been running the stall since 2006, and before that was working in a shop in Caroline Street, said that the new set-up had been provided by the council. They have painted the unit and installed all the counters, fixtures and fittings along with the plumbing and electrics to cater for the needs of every stall.
She told me that the council had been very helpful which was good to hear. The other bit of good news was that all the traders have found an uptick in their businesses with more people coming in than before. They say that this site is much more visible and benefits from the passing trade of shoppers walking through the centre.
Traders have received some funding from the council to compensate them for the six weeks loss of trading after the market closed. They have had their bonds returned and are also enjoying a rent free period at the moment.
Chris Pritchard who runs a take away coffee stall only started his business in July 2022 but says he has a much better location now. He said the unit was fresh and clean and more inviting than the old market was. He told me that there were so many empty stalls in the old market that shoppers found it depressing.
Traders are waiting for the new contracts to arrive from the council when they will find out how much rent they will pay although the council has previously said they will pay no more than they did in the old market.
I would like to commend the council for what it has done. All the stallholders seemed happy with the new arrangements and although it was difficult for them during the weeks when they were unable to trade, the council has done its best to help them.
It appears that some stallholders have done their own thing and gone off to set up shop in empty premises in different parts of the town centre – which is good news as far as reducing the number of empty shops in the town is concerned. Among those not in the new Market Hall is Peter Wood who has been a butcher in the market since the 1960’s and who was a tenant in the town’s original market before it was demolished in the 1970’s.
The family business is now largely run by his son Tim and he said that they were unable to move in with the other stallholders as they needed fridges, freezers and refrigerated counters. He said that they were left to their own devices but managed to rent an empty shop unit in the centre opposite the new market hall. They have had to hire in all the equipment as their counters and fridges are still locked in the market and they were unable to access them.
But he is pleased with the move. He said they have more customers now than they did before because the shop has a much higher profile, opening directly into the centre.
He told me that it was doubtful if they would go back into the market if and when it re-opens because their trading figures are better. But so far they have received no compensation from the council and as their tenancy was so old, there was no bond to return to them. They are now running Bridgend’s last butcher’s shop.
Tim also has a photographic business which is operating from the shop and he has produced some wonderful shots of local scenery.
I sincerely hope that all these businesses continue to flourish because they are the backbone of the town.