ANCIENT MARKET PLACE

We are looking to revitalise the town’s Ancient Market Place to create a year-round cultural and commercial destination that celebrates the area’s unique heritage and character.  

The Ancient Market Place is the historic heart of Kingston town centre, and is highly valued by our local communities. It hosts one of London’s oldest street markets, with the first recorded in 1242. The importance of the Market Place has been highlighted by local communities in engagement to support the development of the Kingston Town Centre Vision, adopted in 2023. 

On 19 March the Council’s Corporate and Resources Committee approved an Ancient Market Place strategy to bring together Kingston’s historic street market, the Grade II listed Ancient Market House and the surrounding public realm under one management arrangement. 

Aspirations for the future of the space

From Autumn 2023 to May 2024, the Council engaged with key stakeholders and local communities, to understand their aspirations for the future of the Market Place. 

The following principles were used to guide the marketing and selection processes:

  • A revitalised Ancient Market will create an enhanced and distinctive visitor destination, elevating Ancient Market’s unique heritage character;
  • A curated programming approach to deliver a wide range of cultural, creative, community activities, taking place throughout the calendar year, increasing footfall/trade;
  • A strengthened Market trading offer throughout the day, with some twilight and evening trading, will boost market and town centre trade and safety;
  • Improved market visibility, through distinctive, engaging and regular promotion and branding, will retain and attract existing and new, diverse audiences;
  • Improved brand, trade and activity contributes to improved economic sustainability for the town centre;
  • Delivering optimum value for money through efficient place management;
  • New opportunities created for local start up enterprises, supporting new, local business development;
  • New opportunities for skills & training opportunities will be created for Kingston’s residents, including local, diverse apprenticeships;
  • Better addressing the challenges of climate change via energy use, waste reduction, improved re-use and recycling.

Next steps 

At the council’s Corporate & Resources Committee on 21 November 2024 the committee approved the appointing of the recommended operator. The Council looks forward to sharing further news, once the lease has progressed.

The lease for the new market operator would commence from April 2025 when the current market operator lease expires.

Image showing brick building, with gold statue in the background, with plants and deck chairs in the foreground.

A revitalised Ancient Market Place will create an enhanced and distinctive visitor destination, making the most of the area’s unique heritage and character. A programme of cultural, creative and community activities taking place throughout the year will bring communities together and help increase visitors and trade. As well as trading throughout the day, an enhanced market could also see some twilight and evening opening, boosting both market and town centre trade and creating a welcoming evening environment.

Finding an exciting, longer term use for the Market House that compliments and enhances the rest of the Ancient Market Place is also a key part of the strategy. Apart from a variety of short term and pop up uses, the building has been vacant for the past few years. A new provider could realise the potential of this historic community asset. 

The new strategy will also create opportunities for local start ups, support new, local business development and possibilities for training and apprenticeships. It will better address the challenges of climate change through improved energy use, waste reduction, re-use and recycling.