Well, isn't this exciting news for our lovely town of Retford! It seems the plans to give our historic Town Hall's Buttermarket a new lease of life with a £1.2 million food hall are moving forward. As a Retford local, I've seen many changes over the years, and this one certainly has people talking!
Back in February 2025, Bassetlaw District Council first announced their vision for an "exciting new culinary experience" right here in the Buttermarket – that's the ground floor bit of our beautiful Grade II-listed Town Hall. And now, as of today, May 13th, those plans have been formally validated after being submitted to the planning portal in April.
So, what exactly are they proposing? The planning documents talk about "minor alterations" to the internal space. This means they'll be replacing toilet fixtures and the kitchen, and putting up new partitions for what they say will be six different street food outlets. It sounds like there'll be plenty of choice! They're also planning to add an accessible toilet, which is wonderful to ensure everyone can enjoy the new space. The whole project is set to cost £1.2 million and will seat up to 60 diners.
Councillor Steve Scotthorne, who is the Cabinet Member for Identity and Place, seems quite enthusiastic. He said, "These are exciting proposals, which if given the go ahead, could attract more people into the Buttermarket and the wider town. As well as giving the much-loved historic building a new lease of life it'll also create exciting opportunities for several food retailers in Retford." I do hope he's right; more visitors and opportunities would be a real boon for us.
Of course, many of us know the Buttermarket as it is now – a space where talented local traders sell their lovely craft items. I must mention that there has been some concern about this change. A petition called 'Save Our Buttermarket' was even started back in March on Change.org, asking the council to have another think about changing how the space is used. It's always a bit sad to see familiar things change, isn't it?
If the plans do get the green light, the funding will come from government sources, including something called the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The council will make a final decision at a later stage. After that, they've said the search will begin for an operator to manage these new food outlets.
It's certainly a lot to think about! A vibrant food hall could bring a new buzz to the town centre, but I'm sure many will miss the current charm of the Buttermarket. What are your thoughts on the plans? I'd love to hear what other Retford folk think in the comments below.