Northampton market: Concerns raised over revamp consultant

A civic society has raised concerns that a consultancy firm appointed to help develop Northampton market "does not combine" with the town's history.

Quarterbridge recently won a bid to work on the multimillion-pound project.

Its director Jonathan Owen apologised in 2017 for alleged comments about immigrants and inappropriate behaviour at a market in London, documents show.

West Northamptonshire Council said the firm's work "met requirements". Quarterbridge has yet to comment.

The Conservative-run council is part of a group called Northampton Forward, which includes town retailers, the university and its theatre. It won an £8.45m grant from the government's Town's Fund to renovate the market square.

The project includes work on landscaping, seating, lighting and a large-scale water feature.

It would also result in a reduction in permanent market stalls, with temporary ones taking their place which can be taken down to free up space for large-scale events.

This week the authority announced it had commissioned Quarterbridge to "create a vision and business plan for the market".

The Essex-based company, which works on market developments throughout the UK, is set to deliver its report this autumn.

Northampton's Civic Society, which is opposed to the market square plans, said it had concerns about the background of Quarterbridge.

It has pointed to Mr Owen's previous role at Seven Sisters market - known as the Latin market - in London.

Mr Owen was managing the market as a director of a company called Market Asset Management, which is part of Quarterbridge.

In 2017, Transport for London (TfL), which owns the building that market is situated in, wrote to him regarding his alleged behaviour.

Appendices to the letter include details from a solicitor on behalf of traders which outlines a series of complaints against him.

They allege that he told stallholders he would go to "war" with them and could "get rid of 90% of the traders here".

The solicitor's comments also claimed he used foul language and made inappropriate comments about immigrants and Irish people.

The minutes of a meeting between TfL and Mr Owen said he admitted his behaviour was inappropriate and apologised.

The lease to run the market was renewed after Mr Owen was said to have made a commitment to improve relations with traders, but not before Labour MP David Lammy raised the matter in the House of Commons.

Quarterbridge has also previously been criticised for its management of Rochdale Riverbank market.

In 2018, Rochdale Borough Council informed the company its services were "no longer required".

The authority said Quarterbridge had been given "numerous opportunities" to prove they could run the market, but had been "unable to meet our expectations".

Northampton historian Mike Ingram, from the town's civic society, said: "The history and background of Quarterbridge does not seem to combine with the history of Northampton.

"Northampton's Market Square is steeped in history and was founded in 1235.

"It was the site of one of only seven Royal Fairs in England, and was designed to be an open space at the heart of the town. It should be kept that way."

A proposal that stalls will have to be moved elsewhere while work on the market square takes place has also raised a warning from traders that it will "kill us off".

West Northamptonshire Council said Quarterbridge was appointed after seeking quotes from four companies.

A spokesman said the company provided case studies which "were checked and demonstrated that they met the requirements".

He said a consultation and engagement stage of the work with Quarterbridge had already taken place "with no complaints or concerns raised".

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