New main contractor takes over £500,000 Haslingden Market refurbishment
Lancashire construction and development company B&E Boyshas been appointed as the new main contractor for the £500,000 refurbishment of Haslingden Market and workis due to resume at the end of July.
Already the central area of the market has been cleared to make way for a vibrant social hub which will include an open-air flexible area and a new sheltered seating zone where benches will be placed for visitors to eat from a variety of street food cabins.
Other work will include levelling and resurfacing the floor to make it safe and accessible, renovating and reopening the public toilets, improving the trader communal area, and making the market space lighter, brighter and safer. Also, new gates and railings will be installed at each end of the market.
The open-air area will be used for music and theatre performances with temporary seating, mini festivals and one-off artisan markets.
Councillor Adrian Lythgoe, a Cabinet member on Rossendale Borough Council and chair of the Haslingden 2040 Board, said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of B&E Boys as the new main contractor and that the refurbishment of Haslingden Market will be completed by mid-October.
“Once reopened the market will offer local residents and visitors a fantastic social hub and bring extra life to the centre of town.”
A calendar of events will celebrate the opening of the new market including a young people’s market.
Rossendale Council is spending £200,000 on the refurbishment and the remaining £300,000 is from the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Work on the market was temporarily delayed when the council proactively served notice on the previous contractor due to timescales for the completion of works not being met.
Councillor Lythgoe said: “We would like to thank everyone, especially market traders, for their patience and understanding, during the delay and we are pleased that B&E Boys Ltd is committed to completing the project as soon as possible.”
