Great Yarmouth Market Place improvements to cost £5.8m

The 30-minute bays will be created through the next phase of work to modernise Great Yarmouth's Market Place.

The £5.8m public realm improvement project - part of a wider revamp - is expected to take 44 weeks to complete and will improve pedestrian walkways and add new seating areas and planters.

The £4.7m market revamp was completed last year (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Senior councillors have said the scheme will bring the area "into the 21st century" and make the town centre a "vibrant" place.

However, there are mixed views about the project, with some traders worrying the works, which begin during the peak summer period, could affect their trade.

(L-R) Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council with chief executive officer Sheila Oxtoby and Labour group leader Trevor Wainwright at Great Yarmouth's Market Place (Image: Owen Sennitt)

MARKET PLACE TRANSFORMED

The public realm improvement works follow the completion of the £4.7m market place revamp.

The ambitious project hopes to create a piazza-style square reminiscent of Italian cities while adding new lighting, street furniture and repairs to pavements. 

New parking bays for short stays will be introduced, which will be free for 30 minutes allowing people to pop to the market and pick up items.

The works will improve the paving of the Market Place area and introduce new seating areas (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Carl Smith, leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: "It is exciting that we have reached the final stage of the Market Place regeneration, something we have been working on for many years.

"There will be disruption but we hope it will be kept to a minimum."

Mr Smith said the improvement works are part of the council's "master plan" for the future of the town, along with other schemes including the North Quay regeneration and Conge revamp.

The project will be delivered in two phases, starting at the northern end near the Fisherman's Hospital, with Yorkstone paving to be installed.

Great Yarmouth's Market Place with the former Palmer's department store covered in scaffolding on the right as it undergoes a transformation (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Access to the market stalls will be maintained at all times and it is expected to finish at the same time as the Palmers department store transformation, which is to be a new education and community hub.

Trevor Wainwright, leader of the Labour opposition group at the council, said: "Hopefully it will deliver much-needed enhancements and bring the Market Place into the 21st century." 

MIXED VIEWS

On a bustling Wednesday afternoon, traders on the market had mixed opinions on the project.

Bemshah Alam, who runs an Indian street food stall, is concerned the disruption could hit his trade (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Bemshah Alam, who runs the Justone Indian Street Food stall, fears the disruption could further affect trade.

"Even now business is not very good but the rent here is really high. We are not sure how we will cope. It is still quiet even though it is the summer."

Keith Mayall, who has a clothing stall, said: "The town needs rejuvenation. People criticise it but if you don't do anything it will end up in a sorry state. My main concern is that it is starting in the summer which could affect trade."

Sheila Oxtoby, GYBC's chief executive officer, said the reason for starting in the summer was to avoid bad weather causing problems to the construction work.

She added: "This project will create a vibrant town centre and we hope it will increase footfall."

Stephen Lexington of SJL Butchers (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Stephen Lexington, of SJL Butchers, said several traders were concerned about the new planters being used as rubbish bins.

"The tiles are all broken up and need repairing, and the extra seating is a good idea but we worry people will dump their rubbish in the planters - you see that everywhere."

Mick Mundford hopes the revamp will bring more people into the town (Image: Owen Sennitt)

Mick Mundford, who was visiting the butcher stall to buy some steaks, said: "I think it will be brilliant. It costs a lot of money but will be worth it in the end. I would just like to see more people use it."