Revitalising Kingston’s Ancient Market Place

Closes 19 May 2024

Opened 5 Apr 2024

Contact

Transform Kingston

020 8547 5000

transformkingston@kingston.gov.uk

Overview

Photograph of the Ancient Market PlaceThe Ancient Market Place is the historic heart of Kingston town centre, and is highly valued by   local communities. It hosts one of London’s oldest street markets, with the first recorded  in 1242.

We heard how important the Market Place is during the community engagement to create  a Vision for Kingston Town Centre, which was adopted in 2023.

In response to this feedback and recent engagement with stakeholders and market traders, the council is now seeking to revitalise the Ancient Market Place to create a cultural and commercial destination that celebrates the area’s unique heritage and character.

To make this happen we want to bring together the street market, Market House and surrounding Market Place under a single operator to manage the area and improve the destination for residents, local businesses and visitors.

We are creating a document, with a list of aspirations for the future of the space, to help us find and select an operator. The draft aspirations, based on what you have already told us, are:

  1. Host a successful and varied market meeting local needs including seasonal and speciality goods
  2. As well as trading throughout the day, explore the potential for some twilight and evening opening, creating a welcoming evening environment.
  3. Develop a programme of cultural, creative and community events and activities throughout the year which will bring communities together
  4. Make better use of the Market House, a historic community asset
  5. Make the most of the area’s unique heritage and character, making Ancient Market a star attraction in the town centre
  6. Create opportunities for local start ups, support new, local business development and possibilities for training and apprenticeships
  7. Improve the cleaning, maintenance, management and servicing of the area
  8. Look for ways to improved energy use, waste reduction, re-use and recycling in the Ancient Market Place.

Please use the feedback form below or come and talk to us in the Market Place (dates and times below) to tell us what you like about the street market, Market House and Market Place and what you would like to see improved? Do you agree with the draft aspirations and is there anything else you would like to add? 

For more information a report about this work was taken to the Corporate and Resources Committee on 19 March.

A further report will be presented to the committee outlining the outcome of the selection process before an operator is appointed. We will also update this page and if you share your contact details in the survey we can keep you updated.  

How to get in touch with us

If you have any questions, or need any of the information in a different format, please get in touch with us by emailing engagement@kingston.gov.uk or call the council's contact centre on 020 8547 5000, and ask for a member of the engagement team to call you back. 

Why your views matter

We will use your feedback to help put together a brief to find an operator for the space, who we expect to select and appoint by the end of the year. The lease would then commence from April 2025 when the current market operator lease expires. 

Have your say

Your feedback

Events

Areas

  • Kingston Town

Audiences

  • Anyone from any background

Interests

  • Let's Talk
  • Children & young people
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Neighbourhoods
  • Climate Change and Environment
  • Participation and Engagement
  • Waste & recycling
  • Economic Development and Tourism
  • Business
  • Regeneration
  • Museums & Heritage
  • Arts & Culture