Oastler Shopping Centre
Oastler Shopping Centre Entrance
Former namesJohn Street Market
Alternative namesOastler Centre
General information
TypeCommercial
Address3SR, John Street, Bradford BD1 3JS
Town or cityBradford
CountryEngland
Coordinates53°47′47″N 1°45′28″W / 53.7963°N 1.7579°W / 53.7963; -1.7579
Completed30 June 1930
RenovatedJune 2002
OwnerBradford Metropolitan District Council
Website
https://www.bradfordmarkets.com/the-markets/oastler/

The Oastler Shopping Centre, formerly known as the John Street Market[1] and commonly known as just the "Oastler Centre" to locals, is a market located on Westgate in the city centre of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England.[2]

The centre contains 176 stalls comprising a retail area of 25,538² ft, with an additional 23 external shops and 27 storerooms.[3] The cafes and stalls within the centre are various food, clothing and craft shops with some of the cafes and stalls having been in business since the 1960s.[4][5]

The original market site was built on 30 June 1930, then called the John Street Market, and was an open air market, compared to the indoor market centre it is today.[6] The original outdoor open-air market was renovated to an indoor market in the early 2000s to make economic improvements to the upper side of the city centre and was named for the abolitionist Richard Oastler.[7]

As part of the Bradford's regeneration projects in line with the successful UK City of Culture 2025 bid, the Oastler Centre will be demolished in late 2023 to make way for the new Darley Street Market.[8]

History

The Oastler Centre can trace its origins back to the 1930s, with the then called John Street Market completed on 30 June 1930.[9][10] The market was popular with local Bradfordians and existed in the city centre alongside other markets, including the Victorian Arndale Centre which was demolished in 1976 to make way for a new market now known as Kirkgate Market.[11]

During 1989, due to serious Health and Safety within John Street Market, as well as economic concerns relating to the nearby Rawson Market, major redevelopment works were conducted leading to the demolition and relocation of tenants of Rawson Market in 1997.[3]

Opening of the then John Street Market, 30 June 1930
An old market entrance from the 1970s for the then John Street Market in Bradford.
John Street Market Entrance, May 1970
Bronze statue of Richard Oastler situated in the now Oastler Square

The then John Street Market was renamed to the now Oastler Shopping Centre in 2002 after £4.5 million renovations to the market were made.[7] The market was named for Richard Oastler, a prominent 19th century abolitionist and politician, in memory of the liberation of impoverished factory serfs; a memorial statue of Oastler was also moved to the accompanying Rawson Square, having originally been situated nearby Forster Square where it was originally erected in 1869 by Lord Shaftesbury.[12] Today, the statue is situated in the now Oastler Square and is a Grade II listed building by Historic England.[13]

In 2016, plans were made to relocate the entrance to the east-facing side of the centre to create more space for outdoor stalls. However, the closure of the nearby Morrisons supermarket made the 2016 plans no longer economically viable.[14]

As a part of Bradford Council's long term plans, it was announced that the centre would be demolished in late 2023 and replaced with a new marketplace known as Darley Street Market.[15]

John Market Street 1977 Fire

On 4 November 1977 a fire broke out in the then John Street Market, destroying a majority of the stalls and cafes at the time before the fire crews arrived at the scene. Due to the severity of the fire, fire crews from neighbouring Halifax, Leeds, Keighley and Rawdon were called to the scene. A full report into the cause of the fire was never completed and the cause of the fire remains a mystery to this day.[16]

Bradford Jewish Heritage Trail

The Bradford Jewish Heritage Trail is an initiative funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the trail includes the site of the now Oastler Shopping Centre due to a local legend surrounding an old Jewish tailors shop known as "Fanny Feinburgh's Tailors Shop" which was due to be demolished by the local council of the time. The owner of the tailors shop, Fanny, had refused to vacate the premises, after which, the council began demolition work on the shop, causing injury to Fanny due to falling bricks.[17] Fanny Feinburgh's Tailors Shop was demolished in 1969.[18]

The Oastler Centre has been host to a variety of major television and film productions, including the 2013 BBC TV Series The Great Train Robbery,[19] starring Jim Broadbent and Luke Evans and the 2017 film Funny Cow,[20] starring Maxine Peake and Paddy Considine.

Building up to the closure of the Oastler Centre, Bradford Producing Hub supported the independent project "Oastler Market Speaks", a collection of stories relating to the Oastler Centre, including "Shutters Down" an audio play written by local poet Kirsty Taylor.[21]

Closure

In April 2019, Bradford Metropolitan District Council approved plans for a new shopping centre on the old site of the M&S store located on Darley Street.[22] The new market was designed by architectural firm Greig & Stephenson, whose previous works included Borough Market in London as well as other markets located in Leicester, Rotherham and Hong Kong.[23][24]

During meetings at Bradford Council's Regulatory and Appeals Committee, it was announced that the development of the new Darley Street Market would be completed by late 2021, however, delays to the development were heavy due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25]

The Oastler Centre is due to close in late 2023 to 2024, after extensive delays. Following the closure of the Oastler Centre, the centre along with the nearby Kirkgate Market will be demolished and replaced with green space, housing and new commercial spaces in line with the new Darley Street Market and planned "City Village", an area of green space nearby the site.[26][27] The "City Village" initiative is part of Bradford Metropolitan District Council's 10 year plan to redevelop the area around the Oastler Centre and accompanying Kirkgate Market and includes plans to redevelop the area along with the construction of a new market, the Darley Street Market.[28] The initial total cost of the "City Village" initiative plan is £24.05 million, with £3 million being funded by the "Getting Building Fund", the rest is funded by the city council itself.[29]

References

  1. ↑ "Events will celebrate iconic Bradford market planned to be demolished this year". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  2. ↑ CBMDC (1 September 2023). "Oastler Shopping Centre". bradfordmarkets.com. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 MacRuari, Barra (31 January 2013). "Report of the Strategic Director of Regeneration & Culture to the meeting of Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be held on 31st January 2013, OASTLER SHOPPING CENTRE" (PDF). bradford.moderngov.co.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  4. ↑ "The Bradford family deli that's been a foodie favourite for 30 years". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  5. ↑ "Share memories of Bradford café set to close after 55 years at special event". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "John Street Market". Photos Bradford – Bradford District Museums & Galleries. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Market to be named after 'Factory King'". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 3 May 2002. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  8. ↑ Waite, Richard (15 September 2022). "Bradford Council to demolish 46-year-old Brutalist shopping centre". The Architects' Journal. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "10 photos of Bradford's John Street Market". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 11 December 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  10. ↑ "The Bradford Jewish Heritage Trail | Making Their Mark: Bradford Jewish". Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  11. ↑ "How the Arndale Centre revolutionised Bradford's shopping habits – do you remember the city's first mall?". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  12. ↑ "Richard Oastler". Bradford and District Local Studies. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  13. ↑ Historic England. "Oastler Statue, Non Civil Parish (1132944)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  14. ↑ "Bradford Market Move | MARKETS 4 PEOPLE". 12 June 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  15. ↑ Young, Chris (13 September 2022). "Bradford shops to be torn down in major city centre revamp". YorkshireLive. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "Photo gallery: John Street Market during the 70s, including the 1977 fire". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  17. ↑ Grizzard, Nigel; Dunn, Benjamin (June 2013). "The Bradford Jewish Heritage Trail" (PDF). jscn.org.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  18. ↑ "The Bradford Jewish Heritage Trail | Making Their Mark: Bradford Jewish". Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  19. ↑ "Bradford's starring role in new BBC films about Great Train Robbery". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  20. ↑ "Top of town cafe chosen for scenes of Yorkshire comedy drama Funny Cow, which will be out in cinemas later this year". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 29 January 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  21. ↑ "Special character of soon-to-close Bradford market explored as 'end of an era' looms". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  22. ↑ "Bradford Market Move | MARKETS 4 PEOPLE". 12 June 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  23. ↑ Pitcher, Greg (31 May 2019). "Greig & Stephenson's Bradford city centre overhaul approved". The Architects' Journal. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  24. ↑ "Greig and StephensonLatest News | Press | Greig and Stephenson". 1 February 2015. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  25. ↑ "Green light for one of Bradford's biggest regeneration projects as market plan approved". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  26. ↑ "Events will celebrate iconic Bradford market planned to be demolished this year". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  27. ↑ "Bradford Council announces £15million plans to demolish Kirkgate Shopping Centre". www.itv.com. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  28. ↑ "Bradford 'City Village' Phase 1". West Yorkshire Combined Authority. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  29. ↑ "Scheme Summary – Bradford City Village, Section A: Scheme Summary" (PDF). www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
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