A CITY centre once dubbed ‘neglected’ re-opens its famous Market Hall after a £35m transformation investment.
Visitors will see at first hand the results of the careful, multi-million-pound restoration, aimed at preserving the rich heritage of the Grade II-listed building.
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The doors to Derby’s historic Market Hall will open today to the public – almost 159 years to the day since its original grand opening.
Market Hall was officially declared open on 29 May 1866, by Mayor Frederick Longdon when the occasion included a performance of Handel’s Messiah.
Offering flagship dining, retail shopping and craft ware that will showcase the very best of Derby, Derbyshire and the East Midlands – the new Market Hall wishes to become an event destination.
The flexible venue space incorporates modern street food dining area and bars, traditional and contemporary retail units, and creative spaces for local artisan makers and traders.
An ongoing programme of events, activities and entertainment is also planned to bring Market Hall to life throughout the week with regular themed markets, live music, DJs, and craft workshops.
The majority of Osnabruck Square has been taken over by hoardings while the £35.1m refurbishment of Market Hall took place.
But the city council has now confirmed that another ongoing project is nearing completion.
The full reopening of Osnabruck Square, located outside Market Hall off Albert Street, has been set for later this summer.
However, access to the Market Hall from Osnabruck Square will be maintained throughout the remainder of the works, the council has said.
Hoardings around the square will be updated and repositioned, and the public will be able to see the progress of the square during the final stages of the project.
Once completed, the square will become a flexible area for events and entertainment, with outdoor café seating and artistic installations, aiming to provide a lively hub for local markets and homegrown talent.
There will also be new benches being installed around a “flexible” events area, while raised beds, trees and shrubs will be installed to create “a vibrant green space”, said the council.
The square will also be the site of a new main entrance into Derby Market Hall.
Nadine Peatfield, leader of Derby City Council and cabinet member for city centre, regeneration, strategy and policy, said: “The transformation of Osnabruck Square, together with the revitalised Market Hall, will breathe new life into this key city centre location.
“The square will not only look beautiful but will also improve accessibility and help draw more people into the heart of our city.
“This is the culmination of a great deal of hard work and planning, and I look forward to seeing the area become a vibrant destination for shopping, eating and entertainment.”
Despite this, locals were left gutted last year, after the council scrapped the iconic Market Place waterfall after promises for it to be returned.
For the last half a decade the treasured waterfall has remained dry as a bone, and to the dismay of locals, Councillor Nadien Peatfield announced there were “no plans” to switch the waterfall back on.
However, the council is hopeful that the redeveloped Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre.
The venture is predicted to generate £3.64 million for the local economy every year.
