Hucknall Market
Hucknall has reinvented itself many times, from a large area which included Hucknall Torkard, Hucknall-under-Huthwaite and Alt Hucknall in Anglo Saxon times to the commuter town we have today. Over the centuries the area has been used for farming, frame knitting, mining and aviation. Throughout all these transitions our marketplace has been at the heart of it all, flanked on side by our medieval church, with the Whyburn (Town Brook) on the other.
The biggest moment in the town’s growth was the sinking of both Top and Bottom pits in 1861, which saw the town grow at rapid rate, from a small village to a thriving market and mining town. As we all know mining and most other forms of Industry has left the town and over the years has become a commuter town for those working in Nottingham or further afield (thanks to our proximity to the M1). To ease traffic and make Hucknall a more desirable place to live, we have seen big changes. The opening of the Bypass in the 90’s gave easier access for those in the west of the town to not only get into the town centre but also easier access north (M1, Mansfield & Ashfield) and to the south (M1 & Nottingham City). Improvements in public transport made it much easier to nip into neighbouring towns (Bulwell, Sutton & Mansfield) and into Nottingham. This has continued to this day with the Train (Robin Hood Line) and eventually the Tram, now opening up the east of the town.
The ease of getting into bigger towns/cities, retail parks/supermarkets and of course e-commerce has had a disastrous effect on our high street and to our once thriving market (as is the case all over the UK & Europe). Our market is now a scant but varied selection of widely spaced stalls and our high street, (even with the addition of chain/franchise businesses) continues to get barer and barer of actual shops. The redevelopment/pedestrianisation of the High Street and new relief road has cost over £13m (mainly funded by the national government). While this will make getting across the town easier, will it;
- Encourage more people to shop here rather than hopping on the Bus/Tram to Nottingham
- Drive more business to the market and encourage others to take pitches
- Attract a more diverse selection of Bars, Restaurants and Cafes to the town
Sadly we fear not and our market could be effected even more, but is it only the markets lack of choice and variety that is at the root of the problem? Most people work these days and while Fridays used to be early finish in the factories, it’s now just a regular work day (well for many of us). Could holding the market on a Saturday encourage more business to take up pitches? Could we try and encourage the small web based business we have in the town to try out pitches? The Hucknall Liberal Democrats feel both of these could breed new life into the market, as for the town centre we all have to do our bit there!
We as consumers hold more power in this debate, than either councils or national government. We choose to grab a bargain on eBay or Amazon (other e-commerce retailers are available) and to travel a little further into Nottingham for even more choice. If we do not make use of our local shops and market we will loose them and our town centre along with them.
“Use it or lose it!”
Please let us know what you think by getting touch with us. It’s our town and its future is in the hands of not only Local/National Government, but also our own.
