It's the oldest market hall in Lancashire and it's been providing an excellent service to the town and its environs since 1869...until those on the council decided to start meddling. As Gynn says, it's one of the things that differentiates us from surrounding towns, who demolished their market halls in the mania of 60's redevelopment and must be bitterly regreting it now.
Despite the encroachment of superstores and other modern retailing concepts, there is still a place for the market in the 21st century, as Bury has undoubtedly proved. However, the idea of transforming the market hall into some sort of multi-media events centre is a waste of time - it's where people go to buy things, not listen to glorified buskers, fawn over Z-list celebrities and gawp at somebody's crochet work.
