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Mission for Markets

Levenshulme Market near Manchester is a great example of a social enterprise project. 26 Another community market that has had a big impact is Queen’s Crescent Market in Kentish Town, London. Queen’s Crescent Community Association’s vision is to regenerate the market aesthetically, environmentally and financially so it can make an even greater contribution to the local economy. In line with this vision, the Association has worked hard to pioneer its own Entrepreneurship Project. The project offers local unemployed people the opportunity to start their own market business and provides work experience for young people on existing stalls. The Entrepreneurship Project is an excellent example of how markets can develop new traders and secure the future of the markets industry. The examples quoted in this section represent only a small number of the markets where changed management structures offer optimism of a brighter future Of course not every market can look forward to a successful future and in some instances markets will have to close. The predictions in Markets 21 about the possible number of closures appear to have been overstated but this might be because some local authorities are maintaining markets that really have no future. Over the last five years NABMA and the NMTF have taken the lead on encouraging local authorities to look at their markets service, consider what they can do to improve the offer, and plan for the future. The onus rests on all local authorities to look at the good practice that exists, consider the range of different management options and see what is the best fit for their market. CASE STUDY: Levenshulme Market More and more markets are being established and taken over by social enterprise groups and Levenshulme Market near Manchester is a prime example. Set up in 2013 has enjoyed great success and has doubled its store capacity. The market is also seen as a catalyst to improve the adjacent High Street. A Market Fund has been established, with the assistance of Manchester City Council, which seeks to help people who can make a difference to the local High Street and who want to develop their own business. More information can be found online at http://bit.ly/M4Msch4


Mission for Markets
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