Bury Council has insisted that Bury Market is “still open for business” despite a number of shock temporary stall closures.
It comes after the news broke this morning (27 October) that a total of 49 traders based in the indoor section of the Greater Manchester town’s world-famous Market had been ordered, with immediate effect, to shut up shop for the time being.
The multi award-winning Market – which has been voted the nation’s favourite market on two occasions recently – dates all the way back to 1440, and has operated from several town centre sites over the centuries, but it moved to its current home in the early 1970s after the previous market hall burned down in 1968.
Closures are while necessary safety investigations on the Market’s roof and building are conducted.
In a statement addressing the shock partial closure of the Market today, Bury Council said the safety investigations required to be carried out will determine whether any repairs to the roof and building are required.
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This is because some RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) was used in the original construction of the building.
IMPORTANT NOTICE 🔔
There has been a partial closure to carry out safety works at Bury Market affecting our Market Hall/Indoor Market stalls.
Please note, our Open Market and Fish & Meat Hall stalls will be open as normal.
Councillor Charlotte Morris, who is the cabinet member for Culture and the Economy at Bury Council, said the safety of traders and customers is the Council’s “top priority”.
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“As a precaution, we have taken the decision to close the market hall while we carry out further investigatory work,” Cllr Morris explained.
“These measures only affect the indoor stalls, so our large outdoor market, and the fish and meat hall, will remain open for business [and] we are working with the 49 traders affected to find nearby alternative premises for them while this safety work is carried out.
“Once the site investigations have been carried out, we will be able to announce what remedial work needs to be done, and what the timescale for that will be.
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Council insists Bury Market is ‘still open for business’ despite shock temporary closure / Credit: Bury Market (via Facebook)
“But in the meantime, please show your support for our brilliant market traders and come along and snap up the usual range of bargains in our unique market atmosphere.”
Bury Council has apologised to all the affected traders, and to the Market’s many customers for the “inconvenience” the temporary closures will cause.
No reopening dates have been confirmed, as of yet.
Featured Image – Bury Market (via Facebook)
News
Full list of Manchester restaurants set to add an extra £1 to bills to tackle homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
As November arrives, the temperatures begin to start dropping, and the nights set in a little earlier, people in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 15 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launches today (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Proloco, Erst, Ezra & Gill, Stretford Canteen, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
Now in its 29th year, StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
Since launching in 1998, the campaign has raised over £16.2 million to support charities across the UK, providing practical help, from meals and emergency accommodation to healthcare, training, housing advice and routes towards finding a permanent home.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2026, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2026
Proloco
Hache MCR
Bar Posie
SAMPA
Blue Eyed Panda
Ezra & Gill
Erst
Little Seeds
Lina Stores
Stretford Canteen
Hawksmoor
Manahatta
San Carlo Bottega
Tampopo
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”
Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)
News
‘Groundbreaking’ new police team launches on Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world
Emily Sergeant
A ‘groundbreaking’ new policing model aimed at making the Bee Network one of the safest public transport networks in the world has launched.
Described as being ‘pioneering’, the first-of-its-kind approach – named the Transport Policing and Crime Command (TPACC) – will bring Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) even closer together to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, and safety issues across the region’s transport network.
So, how will it work then? Well, according to TfGM, the command will ‘effectively establish’ the Bee Network as GMP’s eleventh policing district.
It will bring together up to 300 personnel, including new police officers, who are all involved in keeping the network safe and providing greater reassurance to passengers travelling across the region.
Efforts to keep passengers safe on buses, trams, active travel routes, and roads across Greater Manchester will be ‘strengthened’ through the new team – improving co-ordination in response to incidents, and helping to reassure communities.
A ‘groundbreaking’ new police team has launched on the Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world / Credit: TfGM
The new team will also incorporate the existing Roads Policing Unit within GMP that includes specialist functions such as the Central Ticket Office, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, the motorbike unit, the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, and more.
Overall, the key focus of TPACC is to:
Increase public confidence on safety across the transport network
Reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and criminality across the transport network
Increase the number of users of the Bee Network across Greater Manchester
The launch of TPACC is said to represents ‘the next phase’ of Greater Manchester’s commitment to creating a ‘safer, more secure, and more welcoming’ transport network for everyone who lives, works, and travels across the region.
“I want a world-class Bee Network where everyone feels safe,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“Our new dedicated transport policing command will bring together more than 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network. It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.
“TPACC will also crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which have devastating consequences for families and communities.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th October 2023 
