Marina Market
AddressCenter Park Road, T12YX76
Cork
Ireland
Coordinates51°53′56″N 8°27′7″W / 51.89889°N 8.45194°W / 51.89889; -8.45194
OwnerUrban Green Private
TypeFormer warehouse
Genre(s)
Construction
RenovatedSeptember 2020 (September 2020)
Tenants
30 food vendors and 5 retail vendors as of 2023
Website
https://www.marinamarket.ie/

The Marina Market is an indoor food hall and multipurpose venue near the centre of Cork, Ireland. Formerly a warehouse, it was converted and then opened to the public in September 2020 during the COVID-19 Pandemic to offer food services to the community in an open-air space. Its popularity saw it continue to operate after the pandemic subsided. In 2023, formal planning permission was secured by its operators, who intend it to become a permanent venue.

Function

As of 2023, the venue is home to 30 food vendors and 5 retail vendors. A number of worldwide cuisines and street food varieties are sold, including Korean, Soul food, Venezuelan, Brazilian, Italian and Middle Eastern in addition to more traditional local fast food, coffee and pastries.[1][2][3] A number of the food stalls at Marina Market serve as outposts for restaurants elsewhere in the city.[3] Amongst the retail vendors is an on-site barbers.[3]

Besides its primary purpose as an indoor food marketplace, the building has also served as a music venue, an events venue, a cinema, a roller rink and an ice rink.[4][5][6]

History

The Marina Market opened in September 2020[1] amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic; As businesses sought open-air venues to work out of in order to continue operations, the site of the Southern Fruits Distribution Company warehouse at Centre Park Road was investigated. Urban Green Private, a property development firm created by developer Tom Coughlan in 2013, took control of the site and converted it from a warehouse into an indoor marketplace and venue.[7] The group did so without first securing planning permission. The first vendor to establish itself at the venue was Guji coffee, which operated out of a freight container painted pink.[3]

In November 2022, planning permission was sought for the first time to retroactively cover the venue, however, it was rejected by Cork City Council.[8] The council suggested that the venue did not have the infrastructure required to support the foot, bicycle and car traffic being drawn towards it.[9] The council also noted the site's proximity to Gouldings Chemicals compound, which raised health concerns.[9] The decision proved controversial and, almost immediately, 20,000 people signed a petition asking the council to reconsider.[10] Additionally, a number of local politicians[10][8][11] and journalists voiced their support for the venue, with former Mayor of Cork Mick Finn stating that "the "Marina Market is a fantastic, multi-purpose facility that is already iconic in Cork. Hundreds are employed there" while Catherine Conlon of the Irish Examiner called Marina Market "one of the best things that emerged in Cork City post-pandemic" and argued that it was one of the most important third places in Cork.[12]

In September 2023, a second proposal was granted planning permission by the council, with the Health and Safety Authority stating that it had no objections to the development.[13] With the second proposal, came several million euros of planned investment in the venue. Upon securing the planning permission, a spokesperson for the ownership group stated they would seek to make Marina Market an urban market "on par with any major European city".[13]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Kelleher, Olivia (19 November 2022). "'It's part of the city now': Cork's Marina Market 'ticks all the boxes'". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 October 2023. For Cork's largest indoor market, Covid changed everything. Opened on the Centre Park Road at the height of the pandemic in September 2020
  2. ↑ "Vendors". Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 McNamee, Joe (30 July 2023). "Restaurant Review: The Marina Market is a lasting lockdown-era legacy to the city". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  4. ↑ Shortiss, Eoin (20 September 2023). "Live music and top grub as Cork's English and Marina food markets go late for Culture Night". Cork Beo. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Pop-Up Movies are returning to the Marina Market (and the popcorn is free)". 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "Ice skating in Cork city as Marina Market share exciting plans for Christmas 2023". Cork Beo. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  7. ↑ English, Eoin (3 December 2022). "Cork's Marina Market owners in talks to buy historic Douglas Village shopping centre". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  8. 1 2 Michael, Neil (20 November 2022). "Former Lord Mayor wants Cork City Council to reconsider Marina Market planning rejection". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  9. 1 2 Murray, Sean (25 May 2023). "Marina Market 'surprised' at planning rejection given 'overwhelming' public support". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  10. 1 2 English, Eoin (23 November 2022). "More than 20,000 sign petition to save Cork's Marina Market". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  11. ↑ Nolan, Amy (21 November 2021). "'This would be a huge loss': Concerns expressed over Marina Market's future following planning decision". Echo Live. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  12. ↑ Conlon, Catherine (25 November 2022). "Marina Market is what Cork City should be emulating, not closing down". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  13. 1 2 Murray, Sean (29 September 2023). "Marina Market set for multi-million euro investment after planning green light". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
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