Work to start on £7m project to transform former Wakefield market hall into exhibition centre

The Wakefield Exchange project will see the city centre site turned into a hub to hold creative events.

It is estimated the new premises will attract around 300,000 visitors a year and will support the regeneration of the city centre.

The transformed site will offer residents the chance to socialise and will feature events designed to boost the health of local high streets.

The new facility will contain food and drink outlets, featuring a range of cuisine created by independent and local businesses.

The £7.7 million transformation, which is being supported by funding from the department for culture, media and sport, will also provide skills training opportunities for residents and workspace to attract businesses.

An application has been made to the council’s licensing department which includes playing live music, dance performances and indoor sporting events at the new centre.

The application also seeks permission to serve alcohol daily between 8am and midnight.

Yorkshire builder, William Birch and Sons, has been appointed to carry out the renovation. They will start work on the site in April.

Michael Graham, the council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure, and sport, said: “Once complete, the Wakefield Exchange will offer a fantastic venue in a landmark building.

“It will operate throughout the week with an exciting programme of events and activities, supported by a mouth-watering food and drink menu from independent businesses.

“We have seen how popular previous events at the site have been with residents and wider visitors, including the Festival of the Moon and the Fire and Ice exhibition during the Festival of the Earth.

“We have listened to the feedback from those who visited, and the new site will provide much needed new events space to attract visitors into the city centre on a permanent basis.

“As well as creating jobs in the catering sector, there will also be business spaces on offer to small and medium digital and creative businesses, ensuring that the Wakefield Exchange plays its part in the regeneration of the city centre.

“I am pleased that the contract has been awarded to a Yorkshire-based company and I look forward to seeing them on site soon.”

Simon Potter, construction director at William Birch and Sons, said: “It is great to be working on a project that will have such an impact on the creative sector in Wakefield, and through our works we plan to have an equally big impact by adding real social value through offering employment, skills and training opportunities including school and college visits, work experience and apprenticeship opportunities.”

Work is due to be completed by the end of the year when the building will be handed back to the council.

There will then be a period for fitting out the events hall and the Wakefield Exchange will open to the public in spring 2024.

Wakefield was one of only five councils in the country to receive a slice of a £20 million cultural development fund.

A £4.4m grant was awarded in January 2019, supported by £8m of match funding from partners to deliver a three to five year transformation project in Wakefield.

Traders were moved out of the market hall, next to Wakefield’s bus station, in 2018, having been there for 10 years.

Many deemed the hall a failure, with stall holders complaining about low footfall.

For the last four years they have been doing business on the Cathedral precinct on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.