makeover

A FAMOUS market in a UK city has started a £9million revamp project.

Grainger Market in Newcastle is being renovated in hopes of rivalling the best of Europe‘s indoor markets, such as Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and Foodhallen in Amsterdam.

Works on the market include creating a pavilion upstairs and adding new flooring, according to the BBC.

There will also be new toilets at the venue as well as seating areas to eventually host gigs and plays.

Hand-painted signs and ceramic tiles with street names on the floor will make navigating around the market easier too.

The project is expected to be completed in the first part of this year.

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The market is known for selling a variety of products from independent businesses.

For example, you can pick up fresh meat or fish, cheese and baked goods.

There are a number of street food options at the market as well such as tapas and pizza.

After eating, have a mooch around some of the shops too, which sell locally crafted clothes, gifts and jewellery.

The market also features the original Marks & Spencer Penny Bazaar stall.

Today it is the last surviving example of a Penny Bazaar, which used to be a fixed-price shop, and has a cherry-red exterior with golden signage from when it first opened in 1895.

One recent visitor of the market said: “If you love food then Grainger Market is a must do.

“We had Korean dumplings and buns, chicken wings, a Cuban sandwich (the Cubanos), a pizza slice, a sausage on a stick and shucked oysters from one of the fishmongers.

“There were other establishments that we did not get to and will certainly be visiting again.”

Another visitor added: “One of the best places in town by far.

“A really cool market, indoors, and in a classic 19th Century environment, a truly beautiful building.”

The market is open from 9am to 5:30pm, Monday to Saturday.

The Grade I listed market opened back in 1835 and was a part of the 19th century Neoclassical redevelopment of the city.

The market was designed by John Dobson and replaced some older markets that had been demolished.

A number of other destinations across the UK will be getting revamps this year too.

In London, an iconic Grade II listed building is set to close for a year as part of multimillion-pound redevelopment.

Plus, a much-mocked UK city is set to be huge this year according to National Geographic.

A BUSTLING area in London is set to get a massive £10billion makeover.

The site of a historic events and music venue in West London is set to undergo a £10billion redevelopment.

Work on the 44 acre site, where Earls Court Exhibition Centre used to be, is expected to begin next year, which is more than a decade since the famous venue was first demolished.

Once complete, the development will have 4,000 homes, 232,000sqm of workspace, three cultural venues and 20 acres of public space, including green spaces.

The three cultural venues will play into the site’s history of performance and there will also be a number of fixed and pop-up venues, as well as shops and restaurants.

Earlier reports and plans for the project also included a park with a climbing structure, slides and seating areas.

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And a ‘flower amphitheatre’ is part of the designs – though it is unclear whether these features are still included in the plans.

Eventually, there will be over 1,000 trees at the site by 2041.

During the first phase, 1,300 new homes will be built across six buildings, which includes a 42 floor skyscraper.

Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) is leading the project, which has taken four years to plan.

The Earls Court Exhibition Centre used to be a major events venue, which was closed in 2014 and then demolished.

It originally opened in 1937 with an Art Deco design and used to host lots of events like the British International Motor Show and concerts including Pink Floyd and David Bowie.

The development will also be well connected, with three Tube stations and London Overground services nearby, as well as bus routes and pedestrian and cycle paths.

Construction is expected to begin at some point in 2026.

Rob Heasman, chief executive of ECDC, said: “Our plans will restore Earls Court as a global destination, a place for ingenuity, and for the extraordinary.

“Projects of this scale require ambition, partnership and patience to bring forward, and our ambition has been shaped by four years of engagement, listening and working in collaboration with our community.”

Jamie Ritblat, founder and executive chairman of Delancey, said: “It will create 23,500 jobs across the country, a new centre for the UK’s climate innovation sector, c.4,000 new homes and benefit the UK economy by £3 billion per year.

“Three new cultural venues will reinstate Earls Court as a destination people gravitate to for unparalleled performance and experiences, and the social and economic impact will be felt strongly throughout the local economies.”

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