“We are delighted that there seems to be some movement now for the protection of our market,” said Gary Marshall, chairman of the association, pictured right. “New Covent Garden is not just the UK’s major wholesale market, but an icon for wholesale markets worldwide. We are very pleased that discussions with the authority are still continuing as no-one knows better what the requirements of the market are than the tenants themselves.”
The CGMA undertook a five-month survey of the tenants to establish their future requirements and gauge their views on ways to create a modern market with fresh and flexible facilities.
“There is nothing on paper yet that is definite, but it is important that we are being listened to and that all the major stakeholders are being consulted,” said Marshall.
Actual design concepts are likely to be tabled by the autumn, but no developers will be recruited for at least two more years. The key feature singled out by Marshall and his tenants is the need for the market to cater for growth and decline in different sectors, with fit-for-purpose trading units taking into account non-core uses of the market, for example.
“Going forward, our future is secure,” said Marshall. “It is still the ambition of the tenants to be in charge of our own destiny. But what we have agreed with the authority is that now the market is looking for new trading space, it will need to expand to allow for our growth across all sectors.”
