Stockport traders say market is drawing visitors from far and wide
By Ed Barnes - Local Democracy Reporter 5th Jun 2026
Stockport Market traders say they're drawing people in from as far away as Yorkshire. Following a 'bad patch', there's a feeling things are 'picking up again' and 'going in the right direction'.
The town's central market is one of the oldest in the country, dating back formally to 1260.
Its current Grade II-listed market hall was built around the 1860s. The market site sits on the hill just above the Underbanks and the Merseyway Shopping Centre on Market Place.
In 2006, nearly £1m of Heritage Lottery funding was awarded to restore the building to its former glory with work finishing in 2008. The market has been managed by Marketplace Management Ltd on behalf of Stockport council since 2019.
Things have not always been smooth. A row erupted in 2013 over the closure of stalls on Warren Street, while controversial plans to turn the market into a food hall were scrapped in 2016 after Labour took control of the town hall.
Amid an ongoing revival in the town centre, the market is set to stay and is 'at the heart' of the current Liberal Democrat administration's plans for the town.
For traders in the market, there was a universal feeling the market is back on track, even if things are different competing with internet shopping and large supermarkets. Beverley Haigh, who set up gift shop Butterfly and Bee, even said they were now drawing in people from as far as Sheffield.
Dave Walker, who works at the market's fishmongers, said: "When I first started 32 years ago, very busy and then over the years general decline.
"Over the last couple of years, it's picked up again. It's going in the right direction. It's certainly got a little bit busier, certainly more people coming into Stockport in general. It's good to see it getting back to the way it was."
Mostafa Rezvani, whose Dreamcatcher stall has been there for over two decades, told the LDRS: "It's a bit steady. We are still here whereas some markets have closed completely in some parts of the country.
"I suppose we should still be grateful that we are still here. They tried to close us down and turn it into a foodhall. We resisted and they changed their minds."
He added: "The market is the centre of the community. People just come here, some don't even buy anything and they have a natter. They can't do that at Tesco or Asda.
"They have to move. This is a hub of the community. At one point they were losing a lot of money but at the moment, it seems to be getting along."
While Stockport town centre lost some big brands, Mostafa sees markets as key to future success as somewhere where young traders can more easily establish their businesses, adding: "Alan Sugar, where did he start? A market stall? Marks and Spencer, where did they start? A market stall."
Tim Gardner, whose family's fruit and veg business has been operating since 1918, said: "We had a very bad patch but now it's getting better. It's started to pick up."
For some, the market has been life changing. Kate O'Brien used to be an art teacher but now paints Stockport full time for a living. She set up a stall in the market eight years ago but now she 'wouldn't want to be anywhere else'.
She told the LDRS: "I started painting things around here and it took off. At the time, Stockport was quite an undercelebrated place. People looked down on it, thought it was a dive that you passed through on your way to Manchester.
"Now there's a real creative scene here, creative people in Stockport doing their own thing. The Underbanks, even Merseyway now.
"There's lots of independent businesses coming into Stockport. I just hope that the council will continue to support that.
"I think they are starting to see the value of supporting independents. We have lost all the big things. In some ways it's not a bad thing.
"We are starting to see things that are independent and locally produced. You have cafes where they make everything everyday. It's the way forward."
Some of the market's newest traders have also started to draw in a new crowd driven by the likes of bakery Sticky Fingers. Ottilie Jakub, who works there, said: "Keeping these markets alive is so important. We get a lot of young people coming in who prefer coming here than going to the supermarkets.
"We usually get a lot of older people in the morning who just want a chat. People come from Glossop and say we wish we had this in Glossop. It's like a jewel in Stockport."
Emily Witts' inspiration to set up Auntie Lou's café six months ago came after visiting the market which she said was 'really unique' because of its diverse offering. Despite being offered a job down in London, she happened to see an advert for her current market stall while on the drive back and 'thought it has got to happen'.
On their menu, she said they found 'this sweet spot of really good local ingredients' but 'comfort good people recognise' with their bacon butty being their best seller.
She told the LDRS: "You often see a 90 year old lady sat at the table with teenagers. I want those conversations to happen. It's really important. It's really nice to see.
"It has been welcoming. I really tried to find that fine line of catering to the locals that have been coming here all their lives but also the younger people using the market.
"Especially on a Saturday, it brings in a more diverse crowd which will help the market survive. In the last year, it has really started to pick back up again. It's such a well used market and people come in from everywhere."
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