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RISING from the ashes: council economic chief Councillor Kieran Quinn surveys the latest work on Ashton market hall
New market hall will be the business
by Emilene Coventry19/ 3/2008
WITH an undulating roof covering most of it, it’s now possible to get an idea of what Ashton’s rebuilt market hall will finally look like.
Just the Victorian shell of the fire-ravaged original remains with concrete buttresses supporting the roof.
Market bosses have tried to create a balance between keeping well-loved traditional features and modern building techniques.
When it is finally finished in October this year the roof will have glazed sections to let natural light in.
"It’s been a compromise between energy efficiency and the traditional feel of the market, like having the big windows," said Alan Stopher, Tameside Council’s head of property services.
"If cost was the only thing we were thinking of we could’ve gone for a very simple supermarket-style flat roof but we wanted it to look like a market and have some traditional airy spaces and natural light."
And there was no question of not keeping the iconic market clocktower.
But when engineers examined it they found Victorian building techniques were not quite all they were cracked up to be.
"It had hardly any foundations so we had to give it a concrete girdle," said economic chief Councillor Kieran Quinn. "So much for strong Victorian buildings!"
"We wanted it to look like a market and have some traditional airy spaces and natural light" – Alan Stopher
Engineers have also dug out the whole of the market’s basement to make way for storage and utilities.
The first floor will be home to 81 stalls and 75 traders plus a large open space, which Councillor Quinn said could be used to stage events and exhibitions.
He added: "All the traders who were in the original market hall have the right to come back. We’ve kept to the guarantee we made. They’re part of the reason this was one of the most successful markets in the Greater Manchester region and all the traders have felt the pinch without the market."
Plans are afoot to bury a time capsule in one of the walls.
Over the coming weeks the council, in partnership with the Advertiser, will be inviting ideas from readers about what to put in it – more information will be revealed in future editions of the Advertiser.
Most recent 2 of 5 user comments
Who is going to visit it exactly? I for one will be avoiding visiting anything that means i have to pay a c-charge AND parking fees out of principal. Supermarkets, the Internet and the likes of Meadowhall and the Trafford Centre will continue to benefit from my shopping money.
The only reason I have to visit Ashton now is for banking but I'm changing soon.
20/03/2008 at 11:36
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Are these the same engineers that are resurfacing the market ground for the second time in recent years? I shall miss the pavment moving as I walk - but hate to think of the falls that are going to happen when people trip on the new surface.
20/03/2008 at 21:32