Axe falls on Walled City Market

Derry’s award-winning, monthly Walled City Market is being axed.

Barring a reprieve by Derry City and Strabane District Council, the final Walled City Market is scheduled for Saturday, April 1.

Speaking to Derry News, Harry Canning, a stallholder in the Market for the past 10 years who sells handmade crafts, said there was consternation among the traders about the Market’s closure, how the decision was communicated, and the negative impact it will have on Derry City Centre going forward.

“None of the traders have heard a word from the Council since we received the email from its Market’s Development Officer last week telling us about the closure. All the traders are disgusted we were not consulted.

“There were 30 stalls at last Saturday’s Market and in the summer months, when the weather picks up, there could be upwards of 40.

“What we find on the Saturday’s when the Walled City Market is on, say between 9 o’clock and 11 o’clock, is a large number of tourists from other parts of Ireland coming across Guildhall Square with suitcases.

“As they are coming and going from the bus station and hotels, they all stop in the Walled City Market and buy produce and items at the stalls.

“We also have the walking tours from the Guildhall and the people on those also shop at the Market. There are an awful lot of tourists from all over Ireland in Derry at the moment and in March, April and May, there will be tourists here from all over the world and they just love the Market,” said Mr Canning.

He added that tourists arriving in Derry come straight to the Market from their hotels.

“They would sit here and drink tea or coffee and listen to the music. They also walk around the stalls and there is just a great atmosphere,” said Harry.

“A lot of families from Derry would meet up at the Market too. They sit down on the chairs and spend the whole day there. They would buy items from many of the stalls. The Walled City Market is a great place to meet up with family and friends, especially after covid.

“I think people really appreciate all the handmade produce and items available in the Market. We have food from South America and Spain, not to mention the legendary Doherty’s stew, and it is all in one central location. The Walled City Market is unique.”

Mr Canning added that the traders were disgusted at how the closure of the Market was done.

He said: “If the Council had come to us and told us there was a problem with finance, within three days we could have come up with four ways to save the Council money on the Market. They never consulted or asked anyone.

“The traders are now hoping to get organised and send a letter to the Council and get a meeting.

“We have proposals for a constructive way forward but this will need to be based on us getting a full breakdown of the Council’s costs for the Market,

“The stallholders at the Walled City Market are from all sides of the community as are the customers. If the Market is closed, it is going to affect the whole community.

“The days of Council riding roughshod over people with no accountability are long gone. They need to come forward and tell us why they made this decision.

“Ironically, we are in the middle of Council’s Enterprise Week and some of the SMEs promoting their businesses as part of that are actually Walled City Market traders,” said Harry Canning.

Harry Canning was adamant the closure of the Walled City Market would have a detrimental effect on Derry city centre.

“Especially during the summer months,” he said, “because it is amazing there.”

“Derry is a big city and we have a market and craft fair selling unique, handmade goods.

“If they get rid of it, how will we start it up again? We struggled after covid to get it back up and running and things are really picking up now.”

In a requested statement on the closure of the Walled City Market, a spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council said: “Following the recent rates process and the unprecedented financial challenges facing Council, Council took the decision to implement several budgetary savings and efficiencies across a number of services which included the withdrawal of the Markets Development Programme for 2023-2024 from April 2023.

“The Walled City Market scheduled for Saturday, April 1, 2023 will go ahead as planned.

“The Council has been engaging directly with traders about the withdrawal of the market and is working alongside its colleagues across the Council’s Business and Culture Directorate to look at options for possible market trading opportunities at Council’s key events going forward.

“Council is also engaging with the traders to offer them business support and advice through its Business Support team.”