Community invited to help shape the future of Burslem Market Hall as restoration work begins

For more than two decades, one of Burslem's most recognisable landmarks has stood empty, waiting for a new chapter. Now, with restoration work underway, local people are being invited to help decide what that future could look like.

Burslem Market Hall, the Grade II-listed building on Queen Street, is now at the centre of a £4 million programme of structural repair and stabilisation. While the current works focus on securing and preserving the historic building itself, attention is already turning to a much bigger question. What should the Market Hall become once its restoration is complete?

Rather than making that decision behind closed doors, Stoke-on-Trent City Council says it wants residents, businesses and young people to play a central role in shaping the building's future.

For many people in Burslem, the Market Hall is more than bricks and mortar. It sits at the heart of the town and remains one of the most significant reminders of Burslem's long trading history. Once a busy focal point for everyday life, the building has remained largely silent for years.

Now, there is an opportunity to rethink what a market hall can be in the modern era.

Across the country, historic market halls have found new life through carefully balanced redevelopment. Traditional trading spaces have evolved into destinations that combine food and drink, independent businesses, markets, events, culture and community spaces under one roof. Many have become places where people spend time throughout the day and into the evening rather than simply somewhere to shop.

Ideas being explored for Burslem could include food and drink venues, independent retail, markets, live events, cultural activity, hospitality, leisure spaces, community uses, or a blend of several different concepts.

The council, alongside government funding and support from Historic England, hopes local feedback will help shape future plans and strengthen investment opportunities for the site.

The public engagement programme is being delivered alongside regeneration specialists Next Phase, a consultancy experienced in bringing market halls and historic buildings back into use across the UK.

An online survey is now open and residents have until Monday 15 June to take part: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/burslemmarketpublicsurvey

People can also attend two drop in sessions to speak directly with the project team and share their thoughts face to face:

Thursday 28 May
Barewall Art Studio, Market Place, Burslem
10am to 7pm

Wednesday 10 June
32 Queen Street, Burslem
10am to 7pm

The consultation will also include dedicated sessions with businesses and local stakeholders, while a youth engagement programme is being developed to ensure younger voices are included in the conversation.

Market Passage, BurslemMarket Passage runs off Market Place in Burslem, giving access to the indoor market (sometimes known as St John's Market). The shop on the right was originally the Home & Colonial Store.View Full Resource on Staffordshire Past Track

Finlay Gordon-McCusker said:

“This is a genuinely exciting moment for Burslem. After years of uncertainty, real work is happening on this building, and now we want the community to be part of deciding its future.

“Burslem Market Hall has enormous potential, and we are determined to unlock it in a way that works for local people.

“I would urge everyone to take a few minutes to share their views. The more people who respond, the better the plans we can put forward, and the stronger the case we can make for the investment this building deserves.”

Hayden Ferriby added:

“Burslem Market Hall is exactly the kind of building that can anchor a town centre: a space with real character, real history and real potential.

Modern market halls are doing something remarkable right across the country, reclaiming their place at the heart of communities and becoming the kinds of destinations people genuinely choose to spend time in.

“We have seen what that transformation looks like when it is done well, and we believe Burslem has everything it needs to be part of that story. Getting there starts with understanding what local people genuinely need, and we want those voices to be at the heart of everything we put forward.”

For a town with such a strong industrial and trading history, the future of Burslem Market Hall could become an important part of the wider story of regeneration in the Mother Town. This time, local people are being invited to help write that next chapter themselves.

An online survey is now open and residents have until Monday 15 June to take part: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/burslemmarketpublicsurvey