Food hall opens on Friday
Page last edited: 27th May 2014.
THE BRAND new food hall at Leicester Market opens its doors to shoppers on Friday (23 May), one year to the day since contractors started work on site.
The grand opening of the stunning glass and timber building will feature live entertainment, special offers, and the chance to try some tasty food samples – provided by the food hall traders and prepared by the market’s resident chef.
Music from The Wahoos will get the party started at 10.30am, with BBC Radio Leicester’s Jo Hayward overseeing the countdown to 11am when the food hall will open for business.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby – who will be joined by one of the food hall traders to cut the ribbon – said: “The opening of the new food hall marks the completion of the first phase of our plans for the market – and the beginning of a new chapter in Leicester Market’s 700-year-history.
“The building itself is stunning, and I would like to thank the designers and the contractors – including many local businesses – who have done such a great job on such a difficult site.
“After so long in the gloom of the old indoor market, the traders will be looking forward to moving into their bright and airy new premises – and I’m sure that shoppers will enjoy buying their meat, fish and cheese in the authentic market environment that the new food hall provides.”
Eight stalls, selling fresh meat, fish, seafood, game and poultry, as well as artisan cheese, fresh bread, cooked meats, olives and other delicatessen favourites, will fill the 5,500sqft hall.
Natural light will flood through the building’s glazed façade and specially-coated glass panels will reduce glare inside the food hall, while a clever lighting scheme will highlight its stunning ceiling and distinctive curved roof.
Alison Ireland of Sherwin’s Cheese Company – which has traded on Leicester Market since 1977 – said: “All the traders are really excited about the grand opening on Friday.
“As a thank you to all our customers who have supported us loyally over the years, and to all those people who will be shopping with us for the first time, we’ve come up with a range of money-off deals to make our first days of trading extra special.
“We look forward to welcoming customers – old and new – to our new food hall on Friday.”
Full details of the special opening offers available at each stall in the new food hall – including live lobsters for just £9.99 – are available at www.leicestermarket.co.uk/shopping/special-offers
Adam Piotrowski, the market’s development officer and resident chef, will be cooking up treats throughout the morning on Friday – including hot sausages, spicy ribs and sautéed prawns – with a selection of breads, cheeses and chutneys also available for tasting.
All the food samples served at the opening event will be available to purchase from the food hall.
Entertainment will continue until 3pm, with performances from the Comedy Chefs and the Fairly Fresh Fish Company, who’ll bring their unique comedy puppet act to the Market Place.
The new food hall will be open from 9am to 5.30pm from Monday to Friday, and from 9am until 4.30pm on Saturdays.
Eight businesses will trade from the hall: Andrew Sykes; Frank Lee and Son; Keith Ashmore; Trawlerman; Gibsons; Country Fayre; Sherwin’s Cheese Company; Mroz Sausages.
The new food hall – designed by architects Greig & Stephenson – is the first phase of the city council’s £9.2 million redevelopment plan for Leicester Market. Planning permission to demolish the old 1970s indoor market has already been granted, with demolition due to be complete by early 2015. A new square will be created in its place, and an extension built to the rear of the Corn Exchange. Phase two of the scheme is due to be completed in the summer of 2015.
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Opening of new #food hall.