Plans to overhaul Kingston’s historic market have been met with fierce opposition from a local group
The market operator behind the overhaul of Kingston’s historic Market Place has responded to criticism of its plans.
Between the Bridge’s (BtB) redesign of the town’s historic Market Place has been criticised by a local group, Kingston upon Thames Society (KTS), who are concerned about the proposed redevelopment’s “civic value”.
The Market Place has been in Kingston for over a thousand years, with its earliest settlement dating back to 1208. It is home to one of the oldest street markets in London.
Kingston Council has appointed Between the Bridges which runs Southbank market, Clapham’s Venn Street Market and the annual Winterville in the same borough.
In a statement, KTS said the market operator’s other three sites are not in any way similar to Kingston’s historic Market place and that it had not responded to their feedback on proposals for the market.
In response, Between the Bridges told the Courier that it received “over 600 comments including those from the Kingston Society” as part of its public consultation. It also consulted with Historic England on the proposals.
The local society expressed concerns about the potential changes to public spaces and performance areas in favour of the operator’s food court business.
“Public toilets, the Shrubsole Memorial and the future use of the Market House all remain uncertain or poorly resolved. The changes feel reactive, not the product of thoughtful design,” the society said in its statement.
Between the Bridges said that the proposals did not include plans for a food court expansion.
Instead, a spokesperson said, the ambition was “to provide a balanced market that mixes produce, local makers, food, community programming and open public space. We want the market to remain a place for everyone – an upgraded, welcoming space for the local community as well as visitors to the area”.
The operator added that its priority was to retain the historical aspect of the market in its overhaul.
“Our aim is to enhance the market’s offer for both current and future generations, ensuring it continues to thrive as a vibrant and inclusive destination, whilst respecting its historical character,” the BtB spokesperson said.
The chair of KTS, Tony Lancaster, questioned why the Council is not appointing local architects and why this project is being “left to a sub-contracted supplier who has no knowledge of Kingston”.
Lancaster said: “There has been no effort to look at this imaginatively or by way of early consultation, consider other approaches. Instead we have a finished idea that by virtue of building intrusive and over-scaled market stalls risks damaging the very thing it is trying to enhance.”
KTS member, Professor of History of Art and Architecture George Rome Innes, said: “They [BtB] have no experience at all in architecture or design. It’s ridiculous”.
Innes said proposals to put tables and public toilets in front of the All Saints Church would potentially block the view to Guildhall and the Market House.
Innes said he liked that the design suggested more sustainable stalls but did not like that it “ignored the original structures and went for large, out of character designs that will entirely overwhelm the place”.
“The canopies and the stalls don’t shout at you,” the Professor said about the existing shops, “they just do what they need to do and that’s all you need as an architectural statement.”
BtB said that feedback from the consultation process has informed an updated design scheme, which “now includes significant refinement of the kiosk designs, improved circulation, and the preservation of key sightlines to All Saints Church and the Market House”.
It added that the forthcoming full planning submission will include “full visuals”, details of the consultation and feedback and further “detail on the development of the design scheme in response to the comments received from the public and the Kingston Society”.
The market operator also responded to claims of a lack of communication over plans with stallholders.
One market stallholder, Ali Muhammad, said that there has been no communication between the operators and the stall owners.
“We don’t know what they [operators] are doing with this place, when do they start working, we don’t know anything,” said Muhammad.
In response BtB said: “As part of the public consultation programme, we held a full day event for just the stallholders to review the proposals and provide feedback on the scheme, this feedback has also informed the design scheme.”
The operator said it has recently taken over the management of the market and are in direct contact with the traders regarding the day-to-day operation.
“The Council chose Between the Bridges as their preferred operator due to our extensive experience in operating markets and public venues,” the BTB spokesperson said. “We are committed to working openly and constructively with residents throughout the process.“
Kingston Council have been approached for comment.
