Update on restoration of Newcastle's historic Grainger Market as £9m project nears completion date

The £9 million works on the beloved city centre market are scheduled to be finished in March, council bosses have confirmed.

It is hoped that the upgrades can put the Grainger Market on a par with some of the best in Europe.

The project has involved the installation of new flooring, toilets, seats, signage, and sliding doors at each of the market’s entrances.

But the most striking changes are yet to be unveiled to the public, remaining hidden behind a protective shroud in the market’s arcade section.

That area is being radically redesigned to make it a more open space capable of staging gigs, plays, fashion shows, and other cultural events.

Shoppers can now see the top of a new pavilion which has been built at the Nelson Street end of the market arcade.

But opposite at the Nun Street end, work to build a new staircase that will take shoppers up to a previously-inaccessible upper level remains hidden from public view.

It was originally hoped that the redesign of the market, funded via cash from the Levelling Up Fund, would be completed last summer.

The works follow on from the restoration of the market’s barrelled glass roof a few years ago, a long-running and disruptive project that suffered a series of delays.

A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said: “The programme of improvement works at Grainger Market remains on schedule for completion in March, marking a significant milestone for one of the city’s most treasured historic landmarks.

“This includes the completion of two new Arcade pavilions, with a formal unveiling planned for a later date, and new tiling in this area. All entrances will have been ungraded with new sliding doors, refreshed tiling and hand-painted wayfinding. There will also be new customer toilets as well as new external paving, signage and planters.

“The improvements are designed to ensure the market remains fit for the future while preserving the heritage and character that make it such an important part of the city.

“We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has helped deliver this project so far. We are especially grateful to the market’s traders and customers for their continued patience, support and understanding throughout the works.”