Speller Metcalfe appointed to £4.9m city market project

Wolverhampton’s city centre market is set to begin trading from its new home in the spring after being relocated to allow redevelopment to take place.

Midlands-based contractor Speller Metcalfe started work to relocate the market to its new and permanent Southside home in October.

Everything is on schedule to ensure trading can recommence in the spiting.

The contractor had previously moved the indoor market from its previous home at Heantun House to temporarily join the outdoor traders at Market Square, before winning the £4.9m contract for the next phase of works to permanently relocate the entire market to the Southside area.

The newly developed market will feature 20 purpose-built cabins and 48 tented stalls in addition to new public toilets, a new shop mobility unit and other facilities. The relocation aims to improve the long-term viability and performance of the Wolverhampton City Market by offering larger cabins, better security and increased footfall from the Wulfrun Centre and transport interchange.

Des O’Neill, Group Managing Director for Speller Metcalfe, said: “It’s very exciting for Speller Metcalfe to be such a big part of the massive amount of regeneration and investment that is happening in Wolverhampton at the moment.

“The new and improved market will provide a real boost to the local economy.”
It isn’t the company’s only project in the city.

It is also building a new Jaguar Land Rover showroom for Jardine Motor Group on Penn Road, which will eventually create new jobs and further attract people to the city.

Cllr Steve Evans, Wolverhampton’s cabinet member for City Environment, said: “Since the market relocation scheme was first agreed more detailed conversations have been held with the traders over their needs and the designs have been further developed.

“We are consulting regularly with the current traders over the relocation – and we are delighted with the interest we have had from new applicants.
“Their addition will provide a more varied range of sales lines to differentiate it from a traditional market offer.”

He said the new market, which has been partly funded by the sale of Market Square as part of the Westside scheme, had plenty of potential to offer the city and would be a major asset moving forward.