Penrith Case Study
- Penrith is located at the north eastern corner of the Lake District, 20 miles south of Carlisle. It has a population of 15,000 and is part of the Eden District Council area whose main offices are located in the town.
- The town’s principle role has historically been that of a traditional market town serving a large and sparsely populated rural hinterland, from the North Pennines to the east, through the Eden Valley, the high fells of the northern Lake District in the West. The district is one of the most rural in England and agriculture is still an important industry.
- The town has good transport links, being situated at the intersection of the M6 motorway and the A66 the major northern Trans Pennine route. The town retains its historic street pattern and numerous historic buildings. It has proved a popula place to live and has experienced significant growth over the past decade.
- Because of its location the town has a role as a gateway to three tourist destinations: the northern Lake District, the North Pennines, and the Eden Valley. Whilst tourism is an important element of the local economy, it is much less dominant than in central lakes ‘honeypots’ such as Keswick, and the town’s retail role predominantly that of a local service centre.
The Markets
- Penrith has a long history of holding markets – dating back several centuries. The traditional street market – the subject of this study – is held on Tuesdays in Great Dockwray, off Market Square, one of several sites that have been used for street markets within the town.
Penrith: Town Centre and market
- The market has been held on this site in its current format for many years. Great Dockwray is one of several traditional town squares within the town centre, and is located towards to the edge of the main shopping area. For the rest of the week the square is utilised for short stay car parking. Stall holders provide and erect their own stalls. The District Council operates the market and supervises its organisation.
- After a period of relative decline, the number of stalls has stabilised at around 20 – 25 over the last few years. The usual range of produce, clothing, and household goods is on offer, augmented by a busy organic fruit and veg stall.
- In addition to the traditional market, a monthly farmers’ market is held on the third Tuesday of each month in Market Square, almost adjacent to the Great Dockwray market. The farmer’s market has been operating since June 2001 and attracts between 10 and 20 producers on 10 stalls from 60 mile radius.
Penrith: Market Square
- As well as the town centre markets mentioned above, a major regional market is held each weekend on the site of Penrith Auction Mart adjoining the M6 junction 40. This is a much larger event with around 200 traders, and has operated since the early 1990s. It has recently extended its operation from Saturday only to Saturday and Sunday.
Eden District Council
- Eden District Council own and manage the market, with responsibility for its operation resting with the Policy and Performance Department, which also has responsibility for the monthly farmer’s market. The officer will generally attend the market briefly each week but there is no permanent council presence.
- After a period of steady decline the Council has in the last 2 to 3 years put effort into promoting the market, partially though cross promotion with the monthly farmers’ markets. This has borne results and the number of stalls has stabilised, with around 20 regulars, 4 or 5 casual stall holders, who may turn up for a few weeks, or only turn up every now and then.
- Most of the traders are from Cumbria, with most of the rest coming from Lancashire. A welcome and recent development had been the reintroduction of food stalls. An organic fruit and veg stall from Lancashire has promoted further organic food stalls, with a nucleus of 2 or three now established.
- 13. Tuesday is viewed by the Council as a strong trading day in the town, remaining the day of the livestock Auction mart at edge-of town Skirsgill site. There is a strong tradition amongst the farmers and other residents of Penrith’s rural hinterland to come to town on a Tuesday, and the market is seen as an integral part of that tradition. Car parking figures provide evidence to support this view.
- The District Council has some concern over the medium term future of the market, noting that the majority of both the market’s customers and the markets traders are nearing or over retirement age.
- The markets, and particular the farmers’ market, are seen complementary, and an integral part of, efforts to promote Penrith as tourist destination. Tourism spend at the markets is viewed as significant during the summer months, but less so than year round spend of regulars.
Market - Trader Views
- We visited the market on an April 27th 2004 – a Tuesday market day - and interviewed most of the market traders.
- Traders’ views of the medium term trends were not as positive as those of the District Council officer. There was consensus among the traders that the market had seen a sharp decline in the number of stalls and shoppers in the early to mid 1990s, associated with the establishment of the out of town Saturday market. Most traders agreed that the Saturday market had had a negative effect, although some saw this as more significant than others.
- On the whole, traders suggested that the early 90s decline had slowed in more recent years, but continued. Most of the traders shared views that an ageing customer base and competition from supermarkets, discount stores, and the Saturday market were to blame. In general the traders did not see the District Council as actively promoting the market and most traders said Penrith was their quietest market.
- An exception to this generally negative view was the organic produce and meat stalls – both of which found Penrith to be their busiest market. A loyal customer base and lack of local competition were seen as important.
- Local shopkeepers’ views concurred with the traders’ consensus that the market was in general decline. Whilst traditionally, Tuesday had been at least as busy as Saturday, it was now much like any other week day. (Although this related to changes in the Tuesday livestock mart as much as the street market). The Saturday market was also seen to be to the detriment of the town as whole by shopkeepers.
Shoppers Survey
- Interviews were conducted with 50 shoppers on a market day in early April. Responses to questions relating to opinions on the market were markedly less positive in Penrith than in most of the other markets. Very few people came to town specifically to go to the market, and most found that value for money and ease of use very poor at the market.
- The shopper’s comments reinforce the views of traders and shopkeepers – that the market was now too small and limited, , and that it had undergone a decline in the last decade, which several linked to the Saturday market.
Conclusions
- Despite efforts by the District Council, the Tuesday market at Penrith is generally held to be in decline, associated with strong competition with the very larger and popular out of town market on the Auction Mart site held every weekend. This latter has proved very popular and attracts customers form across the county.
- Comments of the both traders and shopkeepers suggest that there is a danger of a vicious circle of decline – fewer stalls mean the market attracts fewer customers, which in turn leads to fewer stalls. The efforts of the Council to promote the market have so far avoided this outcome, but further efforts will be required. The market appears to be very close to its minimum
Market Town Report Links.
You can download the Countryside Agency Market Town Report complete in Adobe Acrobat PDF Format 6.7MB.
(Right click on the link and choose 'save target as' from the menu)
