Marlborough as a ‘Market Town’ – how to make that title stay?

Nationally, Internationally, even here locally in Wiltshire Marlborough is almost universally described as a ‘Market Town’. But to be a ‘Market Town’, there needs to be a market, ideally a thriving and regular market, and concern amongst some is that the market is declining in popularity – not amongst shoppers, rather amongst traders.

This arose a while back – see piece following questions at the Annual Town Meeting – and at Monday’s meeting of the Full Town Council (24 June) , it was raised as a main agenda item.

The Saturday market is still OK with a waiting list, but on Wednesday the pitches are greater than the number of traders turning up. Wiltshire Council – who manage the market – note that there has been a large decline in applications over recent years and now they are getting maybe 20% of the number that they were getting five years ago.

So what needs to be done to keep Marlborough as a ‘Market Town’? The Charter of Marlborough – 1204 – gives Marlborough the right to hold a market. Doesn’t say that it has to happen, nor where, but it means it can continue.

Is it Wiltshire’s control and regulations? Their charges? Or Parking Charges in general on market days? If management of the market were taken back by Marlborough, the Town Council, what charges would Wiltshire make of the Town Council? (A possible scary thought!).

The market is part of the town and it’s character. It is used, it is very popular, but if there were more stalls it could be more popular still.

This was all discussed by Councillors at the meeting and it was decided that it needed greater consideration, more research, more talking to traders, residents, retailers, shoppers – everyone for whom the market plays a role.

There is also one aspect of the market’s presence in the High Street, particularly the Saturday market where the upper section of the High Street becomes a ‘shared space’ for traffic and pedestrians. Successfully, rarely ever does anyone honk, or speed. In traffic management, particularly in urban areas, it is a prime example of what the late traffic guru Ben Hamilton-Baillie looked to introduce, such areas where traffic and pedestrians move freely, together, and with no hold ups for the traffic. And acceptance of each other by pedestrians and motorist alike.