Hundreds of merchants in the iconic Bury Market breathe a sigh of relief after the famous retail hub reopened its doors to shoppers following the recent relaxation of Covid restrictions.
Founded in 1444, Bury Market is one of the most successful traditional markets in England and was voted Britain’s favorite in 2019. Every year, up to 1,500 visitors come to the construction site by bus to try the goods at almost 400 stands.
Not surprisingly, the Bury Council is making plans to ensure the market thrives for many generations to come and is at the center of long-term proposals for city center redevelopment.
However, over the past year, up to 9 million visitors have been dismissed annually due to a series of bans and restrictions that have allowed only take-away food stalls to be opened.
Now that retail stores that are not absolutely essential are allowed to trade again, the vast majority of the stalls in the outdoor market, the market hall and the fish and meat hall are back in operation.
Donna Ball, Operations Manager at Bury Council said, “This is the moment dealers and buyers have been waiting for months – the full reopening of Bury’s famous market.
“Online shopping is all well and good, but nothing beats the atmosphere and bargains of a real market – and we have the best in the country, as voted by the public.”
“Please remember, however, that the coronavirus is still with us – and it is up to all of us to stop the spread. That is why we have taken a number of measures across the market to protect ourselves all – hand sanitizer, distance signs two meters away, and we urge our customers to pay contactlessly at stalls with card readers. We will also have marshals who control access to the fish and meat hall when it gets too crowded. We’re back with a bang. Thank you everyone for your continued support during another difficult lockout period. From now on we can’t wait to see you all soon! ”
Unfortunately, indoor hospitality venues in the market cannot accept customers but still offer take-away service. The current date that indoor hospitality venues can begin accepting customers is Monday, May 17th.