Fears for the future of the fabled market as a council scrutiny report finds trade at an all-time low.

There are certain staples of the Cardiff town centre which residents would consider almost timeless. Opening in 1891, Cardiff central market can most certainly be placed in this bracket, a grand old building which transposes its visitors back to a different time; a simpler time devoid of chains and shopping malls.

Peruse the aisles of this dilapidated but strangely warming grade-two listed Victorian shell and this manner of rare-to-find atmosphere can be experienced first hand. But in a world beginning to rely more and more on the speed and convenience of service, the popularity of the market is not what it used to be and the situation is almost at breaking point.

Callum Williams from Kelly Records said, “In the market, the nineties were insane.” This is not so much the case anymore.”

The final nail in the coffin

Over the summer, Cardiff council commissioned a scrutiny report to be published on the state of the market and the historic arcades. It unearthed some disturbing truths, with the most unnerving one being that only 10 % of the 90,000 shoppers walking through the centre of town each week are cutting through the arcades and visiting the market. Declining footfall in the market is evidently an issue. So what is to be done?

Traders are unhappy but equally there is an air of inevitability to the decline. It appears that the final nail in what has been a very large coffin was the pedestrianisation of St. Mary’s Street, the back entrance to the market, back in 2010. Colin Smith, 52, who runs the market’s bookstall said, “Almost overnight when they closed St. Mary’s Street, to pedestrianise it, the passing traders went down straight away.”

Colin Smith is reluctant to approach the council and wasn’t even aware of the report, for him the problem lies solely with the closing of St. Mary’s Street to vehicles, “We did send a letter off a long time ago but they just more or less said no one else has complained. Go to London, go to Oxford Street and it’s not pedestrianised. You need some kind of arterial route through town.”

A giant model panda; one of the market’s many cooky additions

Kevin Jones, whose umbrella stall has been a focal point of the market for over 12 years, agrees that pedestrianisation has had a huge impact on trade. “It put paid to the crockery and china stall because a lot of their customers were elderly and also, because it’s heavier stuff, before they could just get straight on a bus.”

There is, however, an interesting divide between the market’s old guard and some of the younger faces. While for the likes of Colin Smith and Kevin Jones it’s either de-pedestrianisation or bust, some of the more youthful traders have bigger plans for the place. Callum Williams, who’s worked at the market’s much-loved Kelly’s Records for the past three years, acknowledged that pedestrianisation was an issue but believes, “It needs a facelift, massively, even if they just put half a million into it.”

“Go to London, go to Oxford Street and it’s not pedestrianised. You need some kind of arterial route through town.”

He has an ally in Ilias Culkin, 26, who recently opened a vintage clothes store and went further than Callum Williams in saying that a return to the de-pedestrianised days of yesteryear would be a huge step backward. He also cited the dilapidated nature of the main building as a big issue and feels money needs to be injected into the building. Either way, there is a definite dividing line between the younger and older traders.

A national problem

The report, however, sees the issue as being far more than just unique to Cardiff, stating that, “Evidence across the UK suggests that the plight of small and independent retailers is a big area of concern for many British cities.”

Andy Lever is from the National Market Traders Association, visits around six markets a week and was a main contributor to the report. He said that, while admittedly the market could do with a lick of paint, declining footfall in markets is currently of grave nationwide concern.“One of the main problems at the minute is retail in general. Retail is down everywhere.” Money can be thrown at the problem, but he believes it can only account to a certain extent for declining footfall.

“One of the main problems at the minute is retail in general. Retail is down everywhere.”

Rebecca Smith, a lecturer in Retail Management from Cardiff Metropolitan University, backs up Andy Lever’s claim. She was the only academic to be involved with the writing of the report and highlighted how Swansea city’s market has encountered similar problems; the BBC even aired a programme on the subject six months ago. In one particular episode, declining footfall takes centre stage and one trader comments, “Without Christmas, these could be bankruptcy times.”

Kelly’s Records has been a staple of the market for over twenty years

The future

So what does the future hold and what if anything is to be done? If Andy Lever’s two cents are to be taken at face value then the general dip in retail that is so afflicting markets nationwide could prevent any reform from making a real difference; and the council have so far been coy about whether the report’s recommendations are to be heeded.

Whatever the case, if you find yourself wandering through Cardiff centre with a hefty Christmas shopping list and no real clue where to head first, this “Architectural gem” could not only satisfy your craving for purchase but you may just find your heart being warmed by a place devoid of chains and malls.