Businesses in Barrow have been rallying around to offer support to those affected by a decision to close the town’s market.
Traders were given 24 hours’ notice to leave the building after being on Tuesday that it would close immediately.
Among those to offer support to the dozen or so business people who found themselves homeless was Tony Sayle, store manager of Dandy’s Furniture Department Store.
“We read that the businesses had been told to close on Facebook and offered help to move stock for those affected,” Tony told Business Crack.
“It’s heartbreaking and you just hope people in business would do the same for you should you ever be in that position.”
Two vans and three members of staff helped businesses to move valuable stock to storage locations as far as Ulverston.
Among those also helped were the town’s community radio station, Cando FM, which had to move from premises on Duke Street.
The volunteer-led radio station was able to remain on air and has relocated to the Nan Tait Centre.
Today members of the town’s Business Improvement District (BID) have continued to help shops and stall holders to move.
“It’s great to be able to help businesses affected at this difficult time,” Paul Hodgson, BID project manager told Business Crack.
Barrow’s MP Michelle Scrogham said she was ‘raging’ at the way Westmorland and Furness Council has treated market tenants.
A tender to demolish the Forum and market was offered last summer with a value of £8.1m. In 2023, the council said it was embarking on a £17.5m revamp of the market hall. In 2024, additional investigations found asbestos and an extra £6m was earmarked to help it be removed.
Business Crack has offered the authority and the chair of Furness Locality Board an opportunity to explain more about the decision and what will happen to the site once it is demolished.
