Birmingham Wholesale Market

Another act of crass stupidity from Birmingham Council announced in todays Birmingham Mail. Birmingham Wholesale Market Traders have been told they have until February 2013 to find new premises. The closure of the present market in Pershore Street though not very old itself has been on the cards for a while and it is no surprise to the traders.

What is a surprise is though, originally Birmingham Council was going to fund the building of a new market, now traders have been told that although they will help in finding a new site there will be no funding toward the build. Does this mean we are going to loose this 800 year old market?

Phil

All the old traditions are going Phil.

I really can't understand this, are the council saying that the present market is not profitable. So therefore they don't want another such establishment landed around their necks. Or is it down to the cutbacks?

As I understand it the market at the moment is made up of 235 units, I haven't a clue what sort of rent this brings in, but surely it is enough to pay for a new market and make a little profit on top. Lets face it the present market is no architectural work of art. I'm sure similar built on an out of town site wouldn't cost a fortune and could easily be financed by the rent taken.

Phil

Posted by phil

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I really can't understand this, are the council saying that the present market is not profitable. So therefore they don't want another such establishment landed around their necks. Or is it down to the cutbacks?

As I understand it the market at the moment is made up of 235 units, I haven't a clue what sort of rent this brings in, but surely it is enough to pay for a new market and make a little profit on top. Lets face it the present market is no architectural work of art. I'm sure similar built on an out of town site wouldn't cost a fortune and could easily be financed by the rent taken.

Phil

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Phil I am sure the market is profitable, if not certainly not a loss maker. What I am sure of is that the land is very valuable. Given it's proximity to the center of the town it would be a great site for a top quality hotel, given that at the moment a load of new restaurants are being built around St. Martins Church. http://www.spicealstreet.co.uk/
See the photo's link

SB

I understand that the land the market is built on is valuable, I suppose this connected with the fact that they need bigger premises is the reason behind the move. It must be because I can't see a structure that can be no more than 30 years old not being fit for purpose.

Phil

Posted by phil

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SB

I understand that the land the market is built on is valuable, I suppose this connected with the fact that they need bigger premises is the reason behind the move. It must be because I can't see a structure that can be no more than 30 years old not being fit for purpose.

Phil

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Phil I don't remember reading anywhere that this site isn't fit for purpose. Just that it was being relocated. If it was due to the site being outgrown surely there are other units close bye that could be acquired to add to the markets. It wouldn't be the first time that the power of compulsory purchase has been used. SB

SB

Compulsory purchase or not, I think adjoining land was much too expensive. There was talk of relocating to Witton to be close to the Motorway system as most of the fruit, veg, poultry & fish is shipped in by road. But that was before the council pulled out.

Phil

Posted by phil

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SB

Compulsory purchase or not, I think adjoining land was much too expensive. There was talk of relocating to Witton to be close to the Motorway system as most of the fruit, veg, poultry & fish is shipped in by road. But that was before the council pulled out.

Phil

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That wouldn't have been a good idea anyway. At present Fruit and veg is transported across the road to the stalls by a convoy of fork trucks, between 5-8 in the morning, then back again at the end of the trading day. Witton was impractical.

At first I was angry about this, it seems to be change for the sake of it, the sort of thing wasters from a university might come up with to justify their wages at the council.
Then I thought 'what does the market do?' Do I get any benefit from it?
I always thought It's just a stinking eyesore and the town would look better without it.
So goodbye and good riddance.
VM

Posted by Voltman

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At first I was angry about this, it seems to be change for the sake of it, the sort of thing wasters from a university might come up with to justify their wages at the council.
Then I thought 'what does the market do?' Do I get any benefit from it?
I always thought It's just a stinking eyesore and the town would look better without it.
So goodbye and good riddance.
VM

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Volty I totally disagree, out of order pal.

Well for one thing, I would imagine if the wholesale market moves to the outskirts of Birmingham and the traders have to find a private landlord to invest in a new building the cost of fruit, veg, poultry and fish will skyrocket in Birmingham. If the traders fail to find an investor and we loose the market in Birmingham altogether the the prices will go astronomical.

Phil