£8.3m market with food hall and cycle hub approved

An £8.3m redevelopment of a market in a town has been approved by councillors.

Bacup Market will offer local produce, crafts, food and drink on the ground floor and a cycle hub and makers' spaces on the upper floor, Rossendale Borough Council said.

It will be built on the site of the former Barclays Bank, which backs on to the open market in the town centre.

The council said it would encourage visitors to spend more time in the area during the day and in the early evening.

The "community-focused" market, which is expected to be completed by Spring 2026, will be called Temple Court, the council said.

The cycle hub will offer bicycle repairs and a hire service, which the council said would enable people to discover the Rossendale Valley on two wheels.

As part of the redevelopment, Union Street, which runs adjacent to the market, will be made one-way.

Footpaths will be widened to give priority to pedestrians and allow businesses to spill on to the pavements, the council added.

Council leader Alyson Barnes said the current market struggles to extend its appeal beyond a small, loyal customer base.

She said the new development would appeal to a much wider area and help to address "declining footfall and trader numbers" in recent years.

The authority said heritage experts had also been appointed to ensure "the carbon friendly facility fuses with Bacup's historic streetscene".

The plans can be viewed at Bacup Library later this month.