Primark move 'final nail in coffin' for Kirkgate market

The clothing giant will close its doors at Kirkgate Shopping Centre at 5.30pm on Monday as it prepares to open in The Broadway at 10am the following day.

The 1970s shopping centre is due to be demolished in the coming years to make way for the City Village development of housing.

There were plenty of closed shutters when the T&A visited on Wednesday (Image: Newsquest) Several traders are transferring over to the new Darley Street Market next year - but are anxious around a drop in footfall before they complete the move.

When the T&A visited the market on Wednesday, there was a sea of closed shutters and lack of custom.

Once a thriving market, now only a dozen or so stalls remain.

Despite the build phase on Darley Street Market being completed, a formal opening date for the venue has yet to be announced.

Last month, the council told the T&A it would "unfortunately" not be before Christmas.

Kirkgate Market has served the people of Bradford for half a century (Image: Newsquest) Traders claim they have been told the opening date will be April/May time - a lengthy eight months away.

This has led to many becoming really worried that they will be unable to last in the increasingly desolate Kirkgate Market.

Alyson Storey, who has run Sweet Success for the past 13 years, said: "The closure of the Primark will be the final nail for this market.

"The new market looks lovely. We have heard it will open April/May time. We are worried about holding on here.

The owner of Sweet Success fears she won't be able to hold out until Darley Street Market opens (Image: Newsquest) "Eight months is a long time when footfall has been so low. We are still having to pay full rent too.

"We may have to pull down the shutters before then."

Carol Feytrell, who has run The Makeup Shop for 28 years, agreed with Alyson's views and added: "When I first moved in here, all the stalls were taken, so it is very sad to see what has happened."

The Makeup Shop has been in the market for 28 years (Image: Newsquest) The Primark move is set to have a detrimental affect on the iPhone Centre.

Owner Abbas Hussain said: “I have had this shop here for 15 years. Footfall has slowed down.

"Most customers go to Primark then they visit here, so when that moves it will affect us.

"I hope to retain my regular customers."

iPhone Centre owner Abbas Hussain is not looking forward to Primark moving out of the centre (Image: Newsquest) One trader has had enough of all the waiting and will be pulling out of Bradford all together with her shop shutting at the end of this month.

Mandy Symonds, of Melting Moments which has sold wax melts and fragrances in Kirkgate Market since 2016, said: "I have pulled out of the move (to Darley Street Market).

"It was just not feasible in the end. There is still no confirmed date and we are having to pay full rent at this place."

Melting Moments will be no longer in Kirkgate Market from next month (Image: Newsquest) Another stall not moving across is The Joke Shop which has been in the market for 31 years.

Nicky Turpin, whose mother runs the stall, said: “It will just cost us too much to move. You are looking at £20,000 to then do it all out in Darley Street Market.

“My mum has owned this shop for 31 years.

"We have been in Darley Street Market and it does not look like a proper market, you are not allowed to hang things up outside and the stalls are really small. It is all open plan.

The Joke Shop will not be moving across either (Image: Newsquest) “We have lost faith in Bradford. They could have just refurbished this market.”

Baxendall’s owner Eri Iasonides agrees that he would have preferred investment in Kirkgate Market.

He said: “I have owned this café since 1991. It is sad to see how it’s all gone over the past 35 years.

"When I first opened, you could not move with all the people in the market. It was so busy. Less people have been using it over the years.

Baxendall's Cafe has been in the market for almost 35 years (Image: Newsquest) "I am still undecided on what we are going to do. We won’t be moving into the new market. They could have spent that money over here.”

One of the cafe's customer Jean Lassey, 75, said: "It is sad to see the way this market has gone.

"I brought my kids up here. I would bring them to this café when they were young."

The Telegraph & Argus approached Bradford Council for a comment and received no response.