New market traders sought for Moore Street to restore ‘vibrancy and variety’

New market traders are being sought for Dublin’s Moore Street in a bid to restore “vibrancy and variety” to the historic street market.

Dublin City Council has issued a tender for a market operator to run a day and evening market from Thursday to Sundays, which would "complement" the offering of the existing 17 stall holders on the street, who run stalls during the day from Monday to Saturday.

According to the tender, the new market should address the proposals of the council’s expert group on the regeneration of the market, for a “multicultural cross-generational, ethnically diverse buzzing street market that is steeped in history and character”.

The market could operate from 9.30am-10pm, which the expert group report said would facilitate a “night time element” to the street “with the possible addition of night market and bars/restaurants”.

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The report said the market “should be designed for the urban city resident and not for the tourist” to create “a vital community hub in the north inner city that serves many different demographics and cultures”.

Redevelopment

The new stalls should be in place by next February, with the council planning to issue the contract for an initial period of one year, with the possibility for an extension for a further two years.

Moore Street is expected to undergo a major redevelopment with UK property firm Hammerson planning a hotel, retail, office and residential scheme which could see the street under construction for a decade. The company's plans were initially lodged with the council last June, with revisions requested by the council, submitted last month. It is expected a decision on the plans will be issued next year.

Stephen Troy, a Moore Street butcher and member of local traders group the Dublin 1 Business Alliance said he could not see how a revitalised market could operate during the Hammerson's construction project.

“I find this approach too little too late considering there is a live planning application that will likely result in the loss of all market traders throughout the 10-15 year construction phase. This in itself will have catastrophic impacts on remaining independent businesses on Moore Street.”

The council did not respond to queries on whether the market would continue to operate once construction was underway.