THE MARKET AS A SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC SITE IN ITS HISTORICAL AND PRESENT CONTEXT*

The market itself was built in the 1960s-70s opening on April 6th, 1970. The asymmetric curvature of the roof is a key talking point for the unusual grade 2 listed building. The 21 curves allow maximum light to flow through the market stalls and is named one of the best structured standing for retail. Moving outside of the building there are panels all individually sculpted by the artist Fritz Steller accompanied by bear concrete and natural stone.

The market as a cultural space provides café areas and independent products at a fair price, a full list of the interior designed for 187 market stalls and 27 shop units, available singly or in multiple units cater;

·

• Bags

• Bakers

• Books& Home Entertainment

• Butchers

• Cafes/Takeaway

• Clothing (inc Repairs)

• Craft

• Ironmonger/Hardware

• Greengrocers

• Fishmongers

• Footwear (inc. Repair)

• Homewear

• Hair/Beauty, Health & Accessories

• Jewellery/Watches

• Mobile Phones

• Toys

• Pets

• Special Occasions

• Sweet Treats

• Tobacco/Electronic Cigarettes

• Will Writing

The market alone effectively supplies Huddersfield’s customers everything they need; all delivered by independent business. However, in 2020 with the fast fashion and high demand of branded produce the market is detreating. Prior to present day the market was affect before covid-19 hit the world with many stalls not occupied.

With that being said, the people of Huddersfield still remain hopeful for the market’s future. Chris Marsden known for his extensive history research told the Yorkshire live "It could have a glorious future as a food hall or food court and theatre, a sculpture gallery, cinema, studios and library” (Sutcliffe, 2020). This leads me back to looking at the piece hall in Halifax.

Halifax- Piece Hall

‘Beginning with the past present and future I began looking at other market spaces that was thriving for inspiration of what the Huddersfield market could be like in the future.

Looking at the Halifax-Piece Hall which is a grade 1 listed building from the eightieth century, a sole surviving building from the cloth halls from 1779. The name piece hall comes from the original building was for pieces of cloth. The pieces hall today has a range of shops exhibitions for all creatives and food and drink. The market has the potential to be Huddersfield piece hall for the future. The key factor for the Piece Hall is the creative cultural it embodies including the impressive building its-self witch adapted the neo-classic order of architecture taken originally from the roman.

The hall holds serval events through the year encouraging visitors from all around keeping their spaces full of life. The events start from live performance to Christmas markets.

The Huddersfield queens gate market is very traditional within its purpose of being one space to buy all you need from independent market stalls. The university and arts council have come together to create the Temporary Contemporary spaces within the market and surrounding Piazza to encourage creative work to be visited and shown. This Is what made me believe it can become a space like the piece hall encouraging locals and beyond to visit the art and shop independent.’

Figure 1

The Kirklees council (2020) have taken the Market and surrounding areas under it wing. Promising a new cultural area for families, residents and visitors of the town. Enjoying the new creative cultural space for music and arts. There are big plans for the Markets building itself to transform into a space for live performance. The proposal is for a capacity of 700-1000s including studio space and teaching areas. This is suggested to go ahead and be completed by 2023. The Kirklees council have already showed effort to improving the dire need of some TLC within the surrounding Piazza outside the market, offering the empty shops to creatives to display their work or create work in free of charge. Although this had been halted due to covid-19 and lockdown restrictions the shops are now filled with local talent instead of the depressing state of endless empty shops.

The Kirklees council’s proposal for Huddersfield looks promising to resolve the market and surrounding areas creating further jobs and attraction for a flood of income for the town that’s slowly heading in a spiral downhill. The blueprint suggested and in planning will restore the cultural space that the market used to be; encouraging communities to come together and support their local shops and arts it will just be just modernised.

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Reference

Kirklees Council . (2020). Queensgate;The cultural Heart . Huddersfield Blueprint. https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/huddersfield-blueprint/key-areas/queensgate.aspx

Griffiths, D. Huddersfield Gems . (no date ). huddersfield market halls of 1880 and 1970 . Huddersfield gems. http://www.monoculartimes.co.uk/huddersfieldgem/texts/markethalls-18801970.shtml

Virtual Huddersfield. (no date ). History and Heritage of Queensgate Market. Queensgate Market . http://www.virtualhuddersfield.com/queensgate/history.htm

Sutcliffe , R. (2020, January 19). Queensgate Market notches up half a century - take a look at when it was built. Yorkshire live . https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/queensgate-market-notches-up-half-17584217

Figure List

Kirklees , . (2020). Queensgate-The cultural Heart. [Photograph ]. https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/huddersfield-blueprint/key-areas/queensgate.aspx.