Market to close after 165 years By Marilyn Barber
Traders have been given the shock news that Wimborne Market is to close later in the year. The operators, Ensors, cite excessively high business rates and changing shopping habits, adding that it had become financially unviable. The company says it hopes to relocate to a new facility at Lake Gates, close to the junction of the A31 and B3078, and that talks with Wimborne Town Council and the planning department of Dorset Council will start shortly. A letter to market traders stated that ‘A new market of rural character with the intention of turning the clock back and not forward would ignite public interest and highlight the 2,000 years of Roman history locked below the showground site’. Ensors say they have instructed a firm of local architects, and they hope to be able to display sketches and initial plans of how the market will look in the near future. New facilities would be built to accommodate regular stallholders and traders. In addition the plan is to hold one-off events and shows. Market days would stay the same at Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Local people have reacted with surprise and disappointment to the announcement. KD Johnson a local councillor said, “The proposed new site for the market at Lake Gates
is a non-starter for several reasons. “It is not inside the Wimborne boundary (it is in the Pamphill Civil Parish area), has poor access for pedestrians and public transport, is on a flood plain and most of the site is covered by a scheduled ancient monument. It presumably has neither water nor electricity supply nor nearby sewerage connections. “Lack of investment or interest by the owners and managers in the operation of the current market site has caused it to become run-down; however it is still a popular one-stopshopping destination for a lot of local people - myself included. “The thousands of houses being built in the area can only increase the demand for a thriving local market. Properly managed and promoted, Wimborne Market could re-attain or exceed the popularity of its heyday.
Wimborne Market in the days of the Farmers Market (2010) © CatchBox
“There is a common sentiment that we have more than enough housing being built in this part of Dorset. If the proposal is to develop the current site for yet more housing, then I expect it to meet widespread opposition.” Thomas Ensor founded a livestock market in 1855 on fields adjoining the new Wimborne railway station. In the 1970s it became an antique and bric-a-brac market and by 1990 had become one of the largest open and covered markets in the south of England. No-one from Ensors was available for a comment.
Bournemouth entrepreneur in House of Lords spotlight In the lead up to International Women’s Day (8 March), Sarah Ali Choudhury from Bournemouth attended an exclusive reception at the House of Lords on 4 March to speak of her experience of being on the f:Entrepreneur #ialso100 List for 2019. The #ialso100 is a collection of female entrepreneurs, recognised for inspiring their peers and communities through their businesses and wider activities. Sarah shared her successes over the past year, which included being featured in Forbes, presenting a BBC programme, being a Smile Ambassador for Dental Concepts, her collaboration with Podcast Labs for The Curry Queen Podcast, various book endorsements and speaking opportunities. The aim of f:Entrepreneur is to showcase multi-achieving women like Sarah in the #ialso100, to provide lessons of challenge and success for all small business founders – both men and women. Founder of f:Entrepreneur and Small Business Britain, Michelle Ovens MBE, who is also director of Small Business Saturday, spoke alongside event host and
former cabinet secretary Lord Young of Graffham, and Sarah Ali Choudhury. Ovens said, “The idea for the #ialso campaign was born from International Women’s Day 2018, during a breakfast event where the phrase used most by the gathered entrepreneurs was ‘I also…’, with each woman describing their work as being much more than a singlejob career. It led us to want to highlight the work of incredible women, creating the most amazing opportunities for their communities and doing so much more than just a day job. “We are making the case that the word ‘entrepreneur’ should not be reserved for men – with the word ‘female’ tagged onto the start for women who have started small businesses. f:Entrepreneur demonstrates the breadth of sectors women are leading in and the value they bring to so many people’s lives.”
Sarah at the House of Lords
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