Divad,

No I'm not comparing, just pointing out that one of the things that attracts shoppers is convenient parking because, as we all know parking has been a real problem in Urmston for some time and this will drive a percentage of custom away and once driven away it takes a lot to get them back..

I would like to correct a naming of the Agency that has control over the Market in an earlier entry. It is run by a company called Strawland Ltd. and not Strawberry. My apologies.

Steak, you are not comparing the Trafford Center to the Market are you?

The Trafford centre Manager issued a statement about last years trading success and put it down to available & free parking.

The obsession of having to drive around Urmston staggers me. We had no car when I was a youngster and would walk from Shaw Hall to the Market every week. My mother and I would begin there and walk back along Flixton Road shopping as we went so that by the time we reached Longfield, a quick cuppa in the Hughenden, and homeward bound with the bags of food for the week.

Now you need a car to do what, battle for a space to park, save your legs for another day, so you don't have to carry a few pound of, whatever? Perhaps the Market is no longer up to scratch but to blame the troubles as one of unavailable parking, Humbug.

DavidU - Maybe trade had been good in the period between Somerfield closing and Sainsburys opening because there was no supermarket in the town centre (believe it or not but lots of people don't know Somerfield moved to Higher Road - it's amazing how many people I've spoken to who didn't know it was still there, or that it was Kwik Save before then).

 

I very much doubt that the old Boots side would reopen as a market.  If you think about it, a market could be a vibrant place during the day, but at night?  Besides, they wouldn't be able to build more flats over a market place.

 

I think the key issue has been pointed out already: advertising.  Places like Ashton and Bury have markets which are advertised in newspapers, posters, even on television.  Urmston shouldn't rely on former glories, taking the "we've always had a market, so it's already known" standpoint.  The market has been going downhill for a long, long time now - way before the redevelopment of the shopping centre began - and whereas it used to be packed it now seems to be a glorified car boot sale with lots of empty stalls. 

 

As with all businesses in the current climate market traders need to move with the times and sell what people really want.  Yes, in the past there have been stalls piled high with shoes, Hoover spares, cheap clothes and second hand books, but is this what people really want from a market now?  What can they offer that people can't get from elsewhere?  If they have some kind of unique selling point then people will have a need to go there.  I remember years ago when my grandparents made regular pilgrimages to Bury to buy black puddings from the market, because the "best" ones were sold there, plus you could buy them and eat them at the stall if you wanted.  Now I'm not saying Urmston market should do the same, but if there's not something special and unique to attract people to the market, why go at all?  Habit and tradition aren't enough these days.

"Who has measured the decline in shoppers around the market since Sainsburys opened? Or is it another urmston.net guesstimation?"

Flossie. What a good idea.

The market is in the wrong area now.

Flossie - that would look lovely. Market place in with all the shops, and hopefully nice stalls with decent goods.

Hello

I've said this before.......IF they don't complete the next phase, then knock down the old Boots and put the market there in an area designed like Altrincham market place! 

 

Bring it all together! 

The Market has been in difficult time for many years but always as a catch 22. No customers, no stalls and no stalls because there are no customers. I wrote to the Market Managers (Strawberry) a year or so ago and they completely ignored my letter which asked about the future for the place.

If the market is doing badly, why doesn't the owner advertise it like they used to do? The website on the sign at the entrance to the market doesn't seem to exist. I remember shopping in Stockport long before the Trafford Centre opened, and recall seeing adverts on billboards and buses for Urmston Market. Today, I don't see any for Urmston, but I do see them for Ashton Market or Bolton Market.

 

On Saturday, I'll get the 247 from Davyhulme to Eccles and board a train at 10:37 direct to Ashton Under Lyne and go to the market there - at 11:15, I'll be shopping in a vibrant market, where the stalls are bigger, sell better quality/range of merchandise, and most importantly, a roof to keep my dry. Plus, on the way back, I can pop into Manchester for more shopping.

 

Drab, depressing, wet/cold Urmston Market - no thanks!

Sherbert, this is straight from the horses mouth, the owner of the jewellery shop on Railway Road has closed due to less customers now that the Car Parkers visit the Market from Primrose Avenue. 

I run the adverts in a Church Magazine and I can tell you Sherbert many local businesses have crumbled.  You appear to be a Saturday morning only shopper, this morning on the market it was dead, they need the trade three days a week and not just on a Saturday. It will be many years for shops to return to Urmston, no trade no shops.

For the best flowers on the Market on a Saturday is Ian who trades from a Van, his flowers come direct from Holland the day before. 

See one of the butchers off the market has opened next to Barclays. Best of luck to him, at least he is easy to find.

I for one cannot wait till all the shops are up and running. The place is still looking like a building site and it will be lovely once its done.

Who has measured the decline in shoppers around the market since Sainsburys opened? Or is it another urmston.net guesstimation?

I was at the market on Saturday and it was quite busy, as it always seems to be on a Saturday morning - I bought flowers from the flower stall, books from the bookstall and the MIL bought a jumper from the jumper stall.

 

Perhaps businesses are closing because they don't match the demographic of Urmston today?

EricJ - You could argue just as well that the old car park (still in the same position - the main car park around the precinct, then the one further away near Moorside Road) directed people towards Somerfield, yet your vitriol is directed now - and always has been judging by some of your other posts - solely in the direction of Sainsburys.

 

Would I open a business in Urmston?  No - I wouldn't open a business anywhere, because that's not my line of work.

Anotherpete, The Car Park was spread out more making parkers look around Urmston, now the Car Park is more compact with the majority of those using it only look at Sainsbury's.

If you had the money Anotherpete, would you open a busines in Urmston with massive yearly Lease costs, high rates and overheads and expect customers to fill your shop all day and every day.

I once had my own business for 25 years in Sale and there is no way, if I was young again, would I open up a business today,

Anotherpete, thank you for your views.  I cannot see a quick upserge for shops to open in the Precinct, to my eyes the existing buildings do not look exciting.

Two businesses are closing in Urmston, one is Silver Sparkles on Railway Road and the other is a Lockup Unit on the Market.  These two people have been forced to close due to a sharp footfall since Sainsbury's opened.  Most people come onto the Market from Primrose Avenue due the Precinct Car Park taking customers away from the centre of Urmston and Railway Road.. 

Even if ASK do not consider it to be worth their while building the remainder of the planned new precinct at present at least they could remove an eyesore by clearing the remains of the old precinct, now that Boots have moved into their new shop.

Now the builders working on the Urmston Precinct have disappeared, will they ever return?

We are left with a half finished job and boarded up premises just like the old Precinct.