Market experiencing decline in trade

The Victorian market is steeped in history, dating back to 1891.

There has been a drastic decline in people cutting through Cardiff city centre’s famous arcades and markets, according to a report published this week by Cardiff City Council. The report documented how only 10% of the 90,000 people who visit the High Street each week are visiting the market.

Traders are up in arms and have been airing their dismay at the situation. Dawn, who’s worked for the market’s Bread Stall for over six years, said of the Council, “They’ve just isolated us” while Alan from Kelly Records believes the Council, “do nothing to promote it.”

Dave Harris of Cardiff Council was quick to respond, “We’ve looked into it and these findings. Once Cabinet have reached a conclusion this will be dealt with in the appropriate manner.”

Points of view from the traders

In an insightful interview with Alan from Kelly Records, he elaborated on his view that the council just isn’t doing enough to promote the market as it continues to decline in trade, “The market has been in decline for the last four or five years basically ever since John Lewis and St. David’s came into being and especially when they pedestrianised St. Mary’s Street. The Council should be doing way more.”

Alan felt strongly that things needed to go back to the days of old, when buses dropped people directly outside the St. Mary’s entrance of the market and trade flowed seamlessly throughout the day.

However, strolling through the stalls, I came across Ilias, a 26-year-old art student who’s just opened a Vintage Store on the ground floor of the market. He takes a slightly different view from the more seasoned market traders, “Since I’ve been trading here, if they were to put the buses back there that’s a waste of my time because I’ve tried to establish myself out there. I can see how the bus routes have affected people’s businesses but are we going to continuously kick the can down the road and disrupt people’s trade that have adapted?”

Whatever the council decides, the overriding feeling from the market traders is that something definitely needs to change.