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Investors sought for last ditch effort to save Perth City Hall

April 30 2013

Investors sought for last ditch effort to save Perth City Hall
Authors of a scheme to revitalise Perth City Hall have begun a marketing operation in an attempt to drum up investor support for the transformation of the contentious structure into a market hall.

Perth City Market Trust have commissioned conservation specialists Simpson & Brown to investigate means of rejuvenating the mothballed structure which was recently granted a last-minute reprieve from the wreckers ball by Historic Scotland.

To that end a brochure has been produced outlining the concept and opportunities that Scotland’s first modern food market hall could offer the city.

In the brochure the Trust states: “As there is clearly no civic or institutional demand for the building that would be economically viable, nor any demand from the leisure or service industries, some form of retail use is the only practical option, but only if it’s entirely different – ie in a form which is complementary to, and so reinforces, traditional downtown shopping provision.”

It is the latest in a line of proposed re-uses for the B-listed structure, none of which have yet come to fruition, which is necessary to prevent the building being demolished to make way for a new square.
A new entrance on the east side is envisioned to create a promenade through to St John's Kirk
A new entrance on the east side is envisioned to create a promenade through to St John's Kirk
The food hall proposal is seen as the last ditch opportunity to save the 1911 structure
The food hall proposal is seen as the last ditch opportunity to save the 1911 structure

Three levels of accommodation will be turned over to a range of uses, including a new visitor centre
Three levels of accommodation will be turned over to a range of uses, including a new visitor centre

2 Comments

T I McPherson
#1 Posted by T I McPherson on 1 May 2013 at 19:42 PM
we do not need a food hall in the city centre ..there are sufficient fresh food outlets in the area .eg M&S serve the best fresh food available. We have a butchers shop in South Street selling locally sourced meat. we have Tesco, Siansburies and Morrisons all selling fresh fruit and veg.
This venture proposed is not viable financially

Egbert
#2 Posted by Egbert on 7 May 2013 at 10:34 AM
Gawd. If the best fresh food offer in the centre of a city of Perth's status really is M&S then I'd say there is definitely an urgent need for a proper food market. It's difficult to imagine any similar European city where this would be the case and it's a particularly British failing that the only source of fresh produce is either an expensive premium retailer or a string of peripheral supermarkets. We need more markets selling affordable, diverse and locally-sourced food in central urban locations. This looks an ideal way for Perth to rectify the current situation while giving new life to a valuable historic asset.

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